Aligarh: Angry over Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's complimentary references to his party, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav today (May 3, 2004) charged him with bringing into disrepute established norms of electioneering in some of his recent campaign speeches.

"Who is he to ask Muslims to vote for us? The Prime Minister is using devious methods for his campaigning, which do not behove a person occupying the highest office of the land," Yadav alleged, referring to Vajpayee's appeal to the members of the minority community to vote for Samajwadi Party (SP) instead of Congress.

"Vajpayee is trying deliberately to malign the SP in the eyes of the minorities by his recent utterances," he alleged, addressing an election meeting in Aligarh.

Elections 2004-The Drama unfolds...

Yadav said, "It is an absolute lie that the SP has some sort of a secret understanding with the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party). Such rumours are being deliberately spread by the Congress, which is a past master in the art of double crossing."

"Unlike the Congress, we do not believe in the politics of betrayal. Whatever I do is always in the open," he said.

Lashing out at the Vajpayee Government, the Chief Minister alleged, "This Government is tainted with more scandals that any previous Government."

Referring to the recent tragedy in Lucknow in which 22 women were killed in a stampede during the birthday celebration of senior BJP leader Lalji Tandon, he said, "This single tragic incident is a shocking reminder to the people of India regarding the hollow claims by the BJP through its 'India Shining' campaign."