Bhopal: The Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav on August 4 charged Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and his deputy L K Advani with "total failure" on almost all fronts.

Addressing a press conference at the end of the two-day meeting of the party's national executive, Yadav claimed that because of this, the image of these two BJP leaders had taken a very "severe beating" and added that they (BJP) were now busy to "repair the damage".

It was due to the policies pursued by Vajpayee and Advani that the country was getting behind in all areas, including the vital area of foreign policy, he alleged.

"There was a time when our foreign policy was formed keeping in mind the country's interests but now it appeared to be formulated keeping in mind US interests," the party chief said.

When told that Congress had not backed his party in government formation in Uttar Pradesh because it was backing Kalyan Singh, he said the former Chief Minister was now doing an "excellent job of fighting against VHP and Bajrang Dal and protecting the Muslims".

And in a lighter vein he quipped, "If Vajpayee and Advani also leave BJP and begin working against Bajrang Dal and for protecting the Muslims, I will have no hesitation in supporting them also."

The Samajwadi Party’s national executive meet ended on August 4 with a resolve to increase its membership base all over the country and give it a national identity.

Addressing a press conference after the conclusion of the national executive meeting, the party president Mulayam Singh Yadav said the party was recognised only in Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal and added that a membership drive to expand its base would be undertaken till September 30.

PTI