VP Singh, Paswan open front against Mulayam in UP

Lucknow, Feb 24 (UNI) Urging Muslims and Dalits to repose faith in them during the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Jan Morcha leader V P Singh and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) president and union minister Ram Vilas Paswan today launched a joint poll campaign in the state.

At a rally organised here by the LJP, Mr Singh and Mr Paswan urged the people to be alert to the ''designs'' of the Mulayam Singh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party government ahead of the assembly polls.

Mr Singh assured the people that if the Jan Morcha was voted to power, reservation would be announced to backward Muslims and other most backward castes, within the existing provisions, in an hour of the government's swearing-in.

''All the parties, including the SP and the BSP, have done nothing for the welfare of minorities and dalits, and the people should be wary of their rhetoric. They have always indulged in vote politics and have no heart for the poor and downtrodden,'' Mr Singh said.

Announcing his tie-up with the LJP, the former PM issued a fervent appeal to dislodge the ''anti-people'' Mulayam regime to pave the way for a ''sensitive and pro-people government'' in UP.

Mr Paswan said the SP suffered from BJP-phobia and worked under its pressure. ''The UP government's reluctance to go for fresh notification in the Ayodhya demolition case is just another example of how the SP has been helping the BJP,'' he said.

Exhorting the dalits to vote for his party for development and welfare, the LJP leader said the Mayawati-led BSP had ''fooled'' them over the years and their fate was secure with his party. ''The BSP has nothing to do with dalits and it has now become the Brahmin Samaj Party,'' he remarked Expressing concern on the ''dismal'' law and order situation in UP, he said no one was safe and fear psychosis had gripped the people. He said the Nithari killings in Noida had exposed ''the real face of the Mulayam Singh Yadav government''.

Jan Morcha leader Raj Babbar also lambasted the state government, saying it had become synonymous with crime.

On the TV ads of megastar Amitabh Bachchan praising the UP government on the law and order count, he said it was ironical that rapes, murders and Nithari the incident were not visible to the former.

UNI