SP opens front against former PM V P Singh

Lucknow, Nov 25 (UNI) The ruling Samajwadi Party, which has constantly been attacking the Congress, the BJP and the BSP in its quest of retaining power in Uttar Pradesh, today added former Prime Minister V P Singh's Jan Morcha in its list of foes.

SP President Mulayam Singh Yadav, addressing a specially - convened party convention here, said all the parties had ganged up against party and its general secretary Amar Singh and senior party leader and MP Beni Prasad Verma launched a vicious attack on the former PM.

Mr Amar Singh minced no words in condemning Mr V P Singh, the convener of Jan Morcha, who had opposed the land allotted to Anil Ambani's Reliance Energy to set up gas-based power plant at Dadri near Ghaziabad. He had even staged the 'Dadri March' to protest the alleged raw deal given to farmers in the acquisition of land.

''He (V P Singh) is politically dead...how can a person, who goes to hospital four days a week can sustain in politics,'' he claimed.

It is the first time the Jan Morcha has come under direct attack from the ruling dispensation, which alleged the former PM was misguiding people of UP through his mala fide campaign against the SP.

Describing Mr Raj Babbar, the leader of Jan Morcha, was also under fire from Mr Amar Singh, who said he had reached the Lok Sabha with the help of Mr Yadav, the general secretary claimed, ''Now, he is being used by the Congress and acting as a bridge between the Jan Morcha and the Congress.'' Claiming all the parties viz Congress, BJP, BSP and Jan Morcha had formed a gang against the SP, he observed it, in fact, ''is a gang of zero.'' Mr Verma, who has a defamation suit slapped against him by Mr V P Singh, was at his acrid best when he said the party would be willing to pay him Rs 10 lakh as damages.

''If the former PM considers the amount befitting his reputation, then it is acceptable to the party,'' he said ridiculing the claim in the defamation suit.

The former PM had filed defamation case against Mr Verma for his allegation on selling acacia trees in the name of sandalwood during his (V P Singh) tenure as the UP CM.

Mr Amar Singh also supported views of Mr Verma saying he would be happy to send Rs 10 lakh to Mr V P Singh, as it would help him a lot in his treatment.

UNI SB/MB VS HS RAI1811