Mulayam Singh seen with RSS chief Bhagwat in pic ahead of UP polls

New Delhi: An image of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav sitting together at an event has set tongues wagging ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election. 

The image went viral after it was tweeted by Union Minister Arjun Meghwal and has triggered an exchange between the Congress, SP and BJP.

Reports said the image was clicked at the wedding reception of Vice President Venkaiah Naidu's granddaughter in Delhi. 

The development comes days after the Income Tax department conducted raids on some SP leaders considered close to party chief Akhilesh Yadav. Akhilesh had said he expected visits by the CBI and Enforcement Directorate too ahead of the polls.

After the image of Mohan Bhagwat and Mulayam Yadav went viral, Congress, in a cryptic tweet, said, "Is the S in the 'new SP' meant to be Sanghawad."

A tweet from the BJP in Uttar Pradesh followed soon. "A picture says a lot," said the tweet.

Replying to the Congress, the SP shot back, saying, "The Congress has put up a photo from an event where leaders of its ally NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) also sought Netaji's (Mulayam Singh) blessing. What does the Congress have to say to this?"