Congress highlights Beni Prasad views on corruption in SP

New Delhi, Apr 2 (UNI) The Congress party today claimed its allegation of rampant corruption in the Samajwadi Party leadership in Uttar Pradesh had been getting strengthened, and hoped the electorate in the state would do everything in the forthcoming election to get rid of such a party.

AICC Spokesman Satyavrat Chaturvedi told mediapersons that the accusation of Mr Beni Prasad Verma, a one-time confidante of Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav, that Mr Yadav was the most corrupt Chief Minister in the country, had reinforced the Congress contention about the corruption prevalent among the Samajwadi Party leaders.

"We have been repeatedly saying that the Samajwadi Party and its leadership have been engaged in corrupt practices in Uttar Pradesh.

Whenever we had said so, a political angle was seen in our statement," Mr Chaturvedi said.

In this context, he cited the CBI inquiry ordered by the Supreme Court into the disproportionate assets case against Mr Yadav and his family members.

"Now that his own erstwhile confidante Beni Prasad Verma has accused Mr Yadav of being the most corrupt Chief Minsiter, our charges have been further strengthened." Asked why the Congress was not being able to provide a credible fight against Mr Yadav and his party in the ongoing election process in Uttar Pradesh, he said only time could say whether the Congress would make any substantial gain or not in the state.

"We are hopeful of positive gains in the UP assembly elections," he said.

When his attention was drawn to Mr Yadav's statement that Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi was forced to lie on Babri Masjid issue, Mr Chaturvedi said that the Congress Party did not subscribe to what he had said.

"While making a reference about the Babri Masjid demolition, Mr Rahul Gandhi had only expressed the commitment of Nehru-Gandhi family towards secularism." UNI