Support won't come easy this time: SP to Cong

New Delhi: Accusing Congress of using Uttar Pradesh Governor T V Rajeshwar for roping in BSP, Samajwadi Party on Tuesday made it clear that its support will not come easy this time and indicated readiness to go with Left parties if BSP is not with them.

"I have been saying since beginning that Congress is in touch with BSP through Governor Rajeshwar. This is called track-II politics," SP general secretary Amar Singh told reporters.

Singh also attacked the Congress for changing attitude towards Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

"Earlier Rahul (Gandhi) said Nitish was secular and now Prime Minister Manmohan Singh doubts his secular credentials. This flip-flop politics is beyond my understanding. It seems as if Nitish is a fish and Manmohan Singh and Rahul are trying to catch him in their net," he said.

Expressing confidence that Samajwadi Party would get enough seats in the Lok Sabha polls to be "relevant", he made it clear that Congress will have a tough deal at its hands if it wanted its support.

"I am confident that I will be relevant, and if Congress comes to me again I will not behave like a gentleman. This time I will ask for my pound of flesh," he said.

At the same time, Singh said he would "love to do business with Prakash Karat but minus BSP. In fact, I am still in touch with old friends like Comrade Sitaram Yechury."

He, however, ruled out making the first move and suggested that CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat should initiate it.

"If he wants, he should talk first. He wants to become the engine of all Third Front compartments, so the engine will pull the compartments, not the compartments," the SP leader said.

He said he had talked to Karat on the issue of "misuse" of CBI but the CPI(M) leader said "what is there to talk with you, you are with the Congress".

"He (Karat) gave me a very blunt reply. So, I do not have the courage to talk to him to be embarrassed again," said Singh.

On former BJP leader Kalyan Singh's closeness with Samajwadi Party, he said it was being "blown out of proportion" by the media.

"Why don't you go and question Congress on taking into its fold the likes of Shankarsinh Vaghela, Sanjay Nirupam and Narayan Rane. Kalyan Singh joined us vowing to finish off BJP in Uttar Pradesh and he has come with no strings attached," Singh said.

He ruled out having any post-poll alliance with the BJP-led NDA, saying that such a possibility was "out of question".

Singh also sought to play down the absence of LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan from Samajwadi Party rally in Rampur on Monday, saying "nothing much should be read" into this.

"Mulayam Singh, Lalu and Paswan all are united. Paswan has already done his bit. I had not invited him but Lalu for this rally. Moreover, Paswan had to go to Himachal Pradesh to address a rally for his party's candidate, so he could not come," the SP leader said.

Singh also launched an attack on rebel party leader Azam Khan saying that the Congress was behind the campaign launched by Khan against SP's star candidate, Jaya Prada.

"We don't have a problem if Azam Khan goes to Congress. Congress is welcome to take Azam Khan in their party," he stated.

Meanwhile, Azam Khan on Tuesday reiterated the allegations he had made against Jaya Prada as well as former BJP leader Kalyan Singh - who is being given support by SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav.

"The kind of allegations she is levying against me, they can be part of her Bollywood life. The level her mentality has reached, any condemnation is of no use. I appeal to the people to beware of Jaya Prada the way she has shown her character," Azam Khan said.

He also said that Kalyan Singh was "a killer".

"Kalyan Singh demolished Babri Masjid. He is a killer. Kalyan's apology cannot cannot acquit him," Khan added.