UP ruling coalition partners RLD, SP face-off over murder case

Lucknow, Nov 2 (UNI) Political face-off between two ruling parties in Muzaffarnagar in western Uttar Pradesh has taken an interesting turn with Rashtriya Lok Dal leaders refusing to relent on the pressure by the MPs and MLAs of the Samajwadi Party over the murder of an SP worker during the local body polls on October 28.

While two MPs and 3 MLAs of the SP had tendered their resignations to the Chief Minister demanding immediate arrest of RLD leader Qadir Rana in the murder of SP worker Muzaffar Rana at Kidwainagar in Muzaffarnagar, RLD senior leader and MP Anuradha Choudhury alon gwith a minister met Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav here today to apprise him of their grievances.

Ms Choudhury, along with Mr Virendra Singh, was reported to have requested the Chief Minister to conduct a probe before arresting Qadir Rana in the murder case.

''How can one be arrested without investigating whether he is involved in some case or not?'' a RLD source here asserted.

FIR had been lodged against five persons, including Qadir Rana, in the murder case, which occurred 50 meters away from his residence.

Meanwhile, Mr Yadav categorically denied there was any rift between the SP and RLD in Muzaffarnagar and claimed such petty issues always crop-up in politics. ''The matter would be sorted out soon,'' he told reporters here.

However, state PWD minister Shivpal Singh Yadav said the Chief Minister had not received any resignation letter from the MPs or MLAs.

On October 28, five SP leaders tendered their resignation letters to the Chief Minister. They were Lok Sabha member Munnawar Hussan, Rajya Sabha member Amir Alam, MLAs Chittaranjan Swaroop, Uma Kiran and Kiranpal Kashyap.

Earlier on October 29, minister of state for trade taxes Sanjay Garg had tendered his resignation from the post, following ''harassment'' of minorities during the poll in Saharanpur.

However, later on pursuance of the Chief Minister, Garg had withdrawn his resignation.

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