JD (U) critises SP, BSP for failingto protect people's interests

Lucknow, Dec 3 (UNI) Sharad Yadav-led Janata Dal (United) today charged the ruling Samajwadi Party and the opposition Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh with failing to protect the interest of the common man while furthering their vested interests.

Talking to reporters here, JD (U) president and former Union minister Sharad Yadav said the SP and the BSP have weakened the common man's fight for justice. ''India's politics was decided from UP. But today, the two parties have weakened the common man in such a way that he finds it difficult to fight war against injustice in the country,'' he claimed.

Mr Yadav alleged that the Mulayam Singh Yadav government in the state was not concentrating on developmental issues in the state.

''Development in UP would come from irrigation and agriculture and not by setting up a committee of industrialists,'' he said hinting at the UP Development Council led by Amar Singh.

Charging the state government with being insensitive to the needs of the people, he said while the common man was suffering from the deteriorating law and order situation, the SP was busy appeasig industrialists.

Terming BSP president Mayawati as an apolitical person, he said while it was common knowledge that Muslims had helped Congress and JD form goverments at the Centre, the BSP leader was obvilious to the facts. ''How can one announce that Muslims voted for fundamentalists,'' he said referring to her recent statement to this effect in the Uttar Pradesh capital.

He said his party woud tie up with any political party except Congress to defeat the BSP and SP in the coming assembly elections in the state.

UNI NAB AS RL BD1544