Former UP assembly speaker dead

Lucknow, Feb 9 (UNI) Former Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly speaker and senior BSP leader Barkuram Verma died here today after a prolonged illness.

He was around 55.

Mr Verma died at the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences hospital here.

A follower of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, Mr Verma spent most of his life working for the interests of dalits and backwards.

He was a sitting member of the UP Legislative Council and former state BSP unit chief.

Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and several others political figures have condoled his death.

UNI