Creating ripples in Parliament, SP veteran Mulayam Singh Yadav Wednesday said he wished to see Narendra Modi back as Prime Minister and praised him for taking everyone along.
Speaking at the last sitting of the 16th Lok Sabha, Yadav, looking at the Prime Minister, said: “Meri kaamna hai ki Pradhan Mantriji aap phir se Pradhan Mantri banein (My wish is that the Prime Minister becomes Prime Minister again).”
His remarks took Opposition parties by surprise and drew loud applause and cheers from BJP MPs. Modi acknowledged the SP leader’s praise with folded hands and later said: “There is much to do. And Mulayam Singhji has given his blessings. I am very grateful to him.”
Seated next to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi in the front row of the Opposition benches, Yadav also said it was his wish that all current members of Lok Sabha return. He started by saying it is not known “how many will come back after winning and how many won’t” and then said: “Jitne hain sab jeet ke aayein (May all who are here win and return).”
Congress president Rahul Gandhi, sitting a row behind Yadav, looked surprised by the remarks. Another Opposition party leader, A P Jithender Reddy of TRS, looked at the treasury benches and said, “Kaun dost thay, kaun dushman thay woh pehchaan nahi sake (they could not see who were friends and who were enemies)” in a reference to the TDP which parted ways with the BJP last year. “Hum dost hain… dil deke dil lene wale log hain (we are friends… we will give you our hearts, win yours),” he said.
