In BJP’s push for OBC outreach, its UP chief calls on Mulayam.

SETTING political circles abuzz in poll-poised Uttar Pradesh, BJP state chief Swatantra Dev Singh called on Samajwadi Party patron Mulayam Singh Yadav Monday. The BJP leader’s visit comes when the party is hard-pressed to explain its diffidence on a caste census, and is pushing its OBC outreach.

At a condolence meeting held for the late BJP leader Kalyan Singh in Lucknow Tuesday, Swatantra Dev said he had gone to invite Mulayam Singh for the same. The BJP had earlier criticised SP chief Akhilesh Yadav for not visiting to offer his condolences to Kalyan Singh, even as BSP chief Mayawati did so. At the condolence meeting held Tuesday, BSP national general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra was present and seated next to Swatantra Dev. The SP, for its part, claimed that Swatantra Dev was unhappy within the BJP and Mulayam Singh had invited him to join the party.