By IANS,
New Delhi : Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh Tuesday handed over a letter of support for the formation of a Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to President Pratibha Patil.
Amar Singh said his party’s support to a government under the leadership of Manmohan Singh was not politics of opportunism.
“Manmohan Singh talked to me for support… I have been authorised and directed by party chief Mulayam Singh to offer our support for the formation of a UPA government under the leadership of Dr. Manmohan Singh,” Amar Singh told reporters outside Rashtrapati Bhawan after handing over the letter of support to Patil.
The Samajwadi Party has 23 seats in the newly-elected parliament.
“It (supporting the government) is not politics of opportunism…The Indo-US nuclear deal sailed through because of two important things. It was proposed by Manmohan Singh and we helped in clearing it by supporting the government. Otherwise neither the government nor the deal would have been saved,” Amar Singh said.
“Moreover, during elections we offered 19 seats to the Congress but it asked for 25. A formula could not be devised and we fought elections separately…Now we do not want any ministerial berth,” he added.
Amar Singh attacked Bahujan Samaj Party head and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, saying her offer of support to the UPA government was “politics of opportunism”.