New Delhi, June 21 (IBNS): Congress leader Rashid Alvi has attacked Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mukayam Singh Yadav, calling him an “agent” of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in a move that could hurt the fledgling ties between the two parties, media reports said.

Addressing crowds in Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad district, Alvi said, “I have been saying this for the past 10 years that If there is an agent of the BJP, it is Mulayam Singh Yadav. If there is anyone in the country who dances on the tunes of BJP then that man is Mulayam Singh Yadav.”

Alvi’s comments come at a time when relations between the Congress and the SP have showed signs of promise after the Uttar Pradesh-based party backed the the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance’s (UPA) nominee for Presidential polls Pranab Mukherjee.

As expected the attack created a flutter in the SP, that has been tipped towards forging fresh ties with Congress which appears to be heading for a break up with key ally Trinamool Congress (TMC), with party spokesperson Shaid Siddiqui slamming Alvi.

"I hope Mr Alvi has taken permission of his leader, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, and other senior leaders before making such a statement. And if he has taken the support of his leader, then he should ask her why she wants the support of Samajwadi Party and Mulayam Singh ji on every issue.

“They should say that we don't want your support. And if he is making the statement without the permission of his leader, then the party should take action against him, because he is making these very silly statements without any basis," Siddiqui was quoted as saying.

When contacted by reporters later Alvi appeared to backtrack on his inflammatory comments sensing a potentially imminent snub from his own party and said that his remark was “only in the context of a local body election in UP” in which the Congress is contesting against the SP.