New Delhi, Sept 13: Uttar Pradesh Chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav has refrained from giving any categorical assurance of his support to Sonia Gandhi's candidature as a future prime minister -- a stance that is in stark contrast with his recent disposition towards the Congress president. Soon after winning the trust vote in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, Mr Yadav was full of praise for Ms Gandhi and thanking her profusely for her party's support to his newly-installed government. Addressing his first press conference in Delhi on Friday after assuming the office of the Chief Minister, the Samajwadi Party Chief did not commit himself to the formation of any alternative, anti-NDA front either, with or without Congress support.


"Are the next Lok Sabha elections over? It is no issue at this point of time. It's a hypothetical question. We are open to give and take issue-based support," said Mr Yadav, while responding to queries on Ms Gandhi candidature as the future prime minister. Asked whether he was considering a tie-up with the Congress party at the national level to form an anti-NDA alternative front, Mr Yadav said, "We have not formed any front, neither we have any plan to do so. "


Mr Yadav strongly denied allegations that he was adopting a soft stance towards the Bharatiya Janata Party and dismissed as " rubbish and misleading" reports that the Centre had helped him for a government in the State.

"Samajwadi party can have friendship with the BJP and only if they drop the agenda of Ram temple construction at Ayodhya, abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution and provision for a Uniform Civil Code, and change their attitude towards Muslims," Mr Yadav said. He, however, was non-committal on the question of issuing a fresh notification with regard to the Babri masjid demolition case in Ayodhya. "The court has not asked or said anything to the UP government in this regard," he said.

To a question, Mr Yadav replied that he would not take any fresh initiative to resolve the Ayodhya issue and that the court verdict was the only solution to it.
Within days of donning the mantle as the Chief Minister, Mr Yadav, dared the BJP to restart the temple movement in Ayodhya, saying it would be disappointed if it did so.


Reacting to the reported statement by Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani favouring construction of the Ram Temple after the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) report suggesting that a temple existed beneath the disputed site in Ayodhya, he said, "Advani ko hatasha hogi (Mr Advani will be disappointed). Ayodhya has ceased to be an issue among the masses who now want basic amenities," Mr Yadav said.

He said, "If Mr Advani starts any movement for temple construction at Ayodhya, he will have to cope up with our movement of development of the State. And during the next Lok sabha elections, it would be clear who enjoys peoples' support in UP," said Mr Yadav.

To another query, he reiterated that his government would not be vindictive towards anyone including his predecessor Ms Mayawati. He also said he would not order any inquiry into corruption charges against her and said the court was already seized of the matter and would cover all aspects being raised in various reports.

Asked about the release of the controversial independent legislator Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiyya from jail immediately after he was invited to form the government, the Chief Minister said it was the decision of the officers concerned and that he had no role in it.
He also declined comment on lifting of the POTA against Raja Bhaiyya saying the matter was pending in court.