Akhilesh blames PM for economic crisis, says SP ready for polls

[1]

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav attacked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh holding him responsible for the current economic crisis in the country.

He added that though the Samajwadi Party (SP) has extended support to the UPA government to keep communal forces out, the party is ready to face the Lok Sabha elections.

Reacting to the Prime Minister's address to the nation on Friday over the issue of introducing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail, Yadav on Saturday said that SP is opposing the move because it is not good for small farmers and traders.

He said that Dr. Manmohan Singh is a renowned economist and has been the Prime Minister since 2004, but only now he is saying that India's economic situation has gone from bad to worse. "The question is who is responsible. The ruler or the people?" he argued.

When asked about SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav's flip flop on supporting the UPA-2 and the possibility of a third front, Akhilesh, who was on an official visit to Vrindavan, told reporters that the SP does not want the communal forces to take advantage of the present crisis but at the same time party cannot overlook the interest of small farmers and traders on the issue of the FDI in retail.

Regarding early Lok Sabha elections, he said that the SP is ready for polls whether they take place now or later, he added.