We will support UPA to keep communal forces out, says Mulayam - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav has said his party will continue to provide external support to the ruling UPA coalition. "I will not allow communal forces to come to power, I will not withdraw support from the government," Yadav told media here. He further said that this did not mean that he supported the newly announced economic reforms. However, he also made it clear that the support was not long term. "The Third Front will definitely come to power in 2014. Who will lead it, will be decided in due course", he said. He also refused to confirm if the party would receive any ministerial posts. Yadav, who is crucial to the survival of the UPA Government following the Trinamool Congress' decision to withdraw support to the ruling coalition, on Thursday held a separate protest with Left leaders at the Jantar Mantar over FDI and diesel price hike. Yadav's party has 22 MPS, three more than TMC's Mamata Banerjee. Trinamool Congress, the second biggest constituent of the UPA with 19 MPs, dealt a major blow to the Manmohan Singh Government when it decided to withdraw its support on the issue of petroleum price hike, FDI in retail and corruption. The TMC's decision brings the UPA's effective strength in the 545-seat Lok Sabha from 273 to 254, which is slightly below the halfway mark.

We will support UPA to keep communal forces out: Mulayam