Accusing Mayawati of resorting to 'political vendetta,' Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh on Monday dared Uttar Pradesh chief minister to arrest him and former chief minister Mulayam Singh.
"I dare her to put us in jail. In fact, I would be happy if she puts us in jail because it would be politically advantageous to us," he said, reminding how late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi benefitted after Emergency when her opponents put her in jail.
Criticising her behaviour during the oath-taking ceremony, Singh said it was the proof of her intentions.
"Leader of Opposition Mualayam Singh was present and she did not even greet him. If she wants to pursue vendetta politics, she is welcome to do so," he told television channel CNN-IBN.
Reacting to the newly-appointed chief minister's announcements, the SP general secretary said he would be worried if Mayawati 'focussed on development and not on taking revenge on us.'
Singh said he has been 'hounded by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's UPA government.'
"My phones have been tapped, my friends have been raided, and I have been harassed. If Sonia could not do anything to me, who is Mayawati," he queried.
Dismissing reports that he was leaving the country, Singh sought to know, "If Mayawati did not leave the country when she was defeated, then why should I?"
"Victory and defeat is part of democracy. We will fight back, that I am sure of," he added.
On Mayawati's victory in the just-concluded assembly polls, he said it was because of 'social engineering' and not because of any developmental agenda that she offered to the people of the state.
Coverage: The Battle for Uttar Pradesh