By IANS,
New Delhi: Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav justified his decision to abstain from voting on the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) cut motion on the government’s budget proposals, saying they were a “formality” and he would rather initiate mass public protests against price rise.
“The cut motion is a formality. To continue the fight (against price rise), we will go to the people and get their support,” Yadav told IANS after walking out of the Lok Sabha.
He added that in any case he did want to side with the BJP.
But he added that his walkout was also to register his disapproval of the government’s economic policies. “Prices are increasing and poor people are finding it hard to afford their meals. That’s the reason we walked out,” he said.
Answering a question on the alleged ‘deal’ between the Congress-led government and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati to get the support of her Bahujan Samaj Party, he said: “This government is a bigger danger (for us)”.
The walkout by the Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal members gave the government a further comfortable lead in defeating the BJP and Left parties’ cut motions.