Rashid Alvi, a spokesperson for the Congress, announced at a rally in Uttar Pradesh last evening that Mr Yadav is "an agent of the BJP." He elaborated, "I have been saying for the last 10 years, that if there is anyone who dances to the BJP's tune, it is Mulayam Singh." The Congress party's spokesperson, Janardhan Dwivedi, said this morning that it does not approve of Mr Alvi's comments.