Monday, September 4 2006 12:42 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Ahead of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, state Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav made a surprise appearance alongside the senior leadership of theSangh Parivar yesterday ( Sept 3,2006).

The Samajwadi Party leader shared podium here with RSS leader Mohan Bhagwat, VHP chief Ashok Singhal, Ram temple movement leader Sadhvi Rithambara and BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi.

They were together at a service in rememberance of the late Swayamsewak Bhanupratap Shukal, a former editor of Panchjanya, a Sangh mouthpiece.

In his brief comments, Yadav recalled what he described as his personal association with Shukal.

He, however, maintained there was nothing common between them in terms of ideology.

"We did not share ideology. I can never have that ideology. But his (Shukal's) death is a great literary loss," Yadav remarked.

In his comments, Singhal cited Yadav's attendance at the event as an example of Shukal's popularity across the political spectrum.