Moradabad: In what could lead to a dangerous new twist in the Congress-Samajwadi Party relationship, the Congress’ Rashid Alvi, in a surprise attack, called SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav a BJP agent.

Mr Alvi said this while addressing crowds in Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad district. “I don’t know if you all will like what I am going to say. But I have been saying this for the past 10 years that if there is an agent of the BJP, it is Mulayam Singh Yadav. If there is anyone in the country who dances on the tunes of BJP then that man is Mulayam Singh Yadav,” Mr Alvi said.

Coming at a time when Mr Yadav had come out in support of Congress candidate Pranab Mukherjee for the post of President, the remark could lead to a major controversy.

And it has certainly not gone down well with the Samajwadi Party.

“I hope Mr Alvi has taken permission of his leader, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, and other senior leaders before making such a statement. And if he has taken the support of his leader, then he should ask her why she wants the support of Samajwadi Party and Mulayam Singh ji on every issue. They should say that we don’t want your support. And if he is making the statement without the permission of his leader, then the party should take action against him, because he is making these very silly statements without any basis,” said the Samajwadi Party’s Shaid Siddiqui.

Mr Alvi though later said that his remark was only in the context of a local body election in UP where the Congress is fighting the SP.

“Whatever may be the election, whatever may be the context, but making such a statement is absolutely uncalled for. The Congress has already lost the elections terribly, now only to gain cheap publicity they are doing this. They do not understand politics and are ready to do anything for the sake of few votes,” said Mr Siddiqui.

So the bigger question now is: Will Rashid Alvi face the music from Congress bosses for his howler?