Taking a dig at Mulayam, Amar says he is now 'free'

New Delhi: Former Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh on Monday took his first public dig at party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, asking his supporters to "be Samajwadi and not Mulayamwadi".

A day after Yadav accepted his former confidant's resignation from all party posts, a combative Amar Singh said, "Unhone mujhe bandhan-mukt kar diya" (He has freed me.)

Even while claiming that he would never speak out against Yadav, Amar Singh said that he was now free to express his views on matters over which he kept mum as the SP general secretary.

Flanked by actor-turned-politician Sanjay Dutt and scores of noisy supporters, Amar Singh asked them to "be Samajwadi and not Mulayamwadi" - or refrain from Mulayam's sycophancy.

And significantly, Amar Singh came out in support of English language and computer education, both of which Yadav detests.

"There should be the same eduction for rural and urban children. I will now be promoting computer education in rural villages. I will also request Amitabh (Bachchan) to help me promote computer and English among rural children to fight their backwardness," he said.

The SP had in its Lok Sabha election manifesto pledged to ban English and computer education.

Amar Singh said he would promote computers and English with the help of a NGO headed by SP Lok Sabha member Jaya Prada.

Amar Singh, whose differences with Yadav's family members are out in the open, added "I have taken a vow never to speak out against the leadership of the Samajwadi Party. I will not break it. But as a senior party office-bearer there were issues I could not talk about. Now I will."

"Till the time they do not throw me out, I will not leave the party," said Amar Singh, who sounded more like a rebel than the long-time loyalist he has been in SP.

Amar Singh added that he would canvass for the division of Uttar Pradesh into smaller states for its better development.

"Till the time Uttar Pradesh is not divided, there cannot be integrated development. There should be no politics on this. Small states like Purvanchal, Harit Pradesh should be established," he said.

On Sunday, Yadav finally wrote to Amar Singh "Since you have cited your health problems as the reason behind your decision to step down, I accept your resignation with a heavy heart from all positions in the party."

Amar Singh, who also announced his tour programme of Uttar Pradesh, sent his resignation on January 6 from Dubai where he was holidaying.

Speaking separately, Sanjay Dutt said he had no right to remain in SP as his "elder brother Amar Singh" had resigned.