JD(U) demands security cover to Sharad Yadav during UP polls

New Delhi, Apr 14 (UNI) The Janata Dal(U) today strongly protested the denial of security cover to its President Sharad Yadav, campaigning in the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, and demanded that adequate security cover be provided to him and his party candidates in the state.

In a letter to Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswamy, Party General Secretary and spokesperson Shambhu Srivastava said the party took strong exception to the incident today when Mr Yadav's helicopter was denied permission to land at the Police Line Maidan in Badaun, as approved earlier. The chopper was instead forced to land in a vacant plot provided by the party even when there was no security cover there, which was mandatory, he said.

He pointed out that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's helicopter was allowed to land at the Police Line Maidan and was provided full security.

''The District administration under the Election Commission forgot that Mr Sharad Yadav has served Parliament for more than 30 years apart from being the National President of the JD(U), while Rahul Gandhi is a first timer in the Lok Sabha'', he said.

''The party strongly disapproves this discriminatory attitude in providing security and has conveyed it to the Election Commission,'' he said, adding that JD(U) candidates were pitted against mafia elements like D P Yadav in Sahaswan in Badayun district and Mukhtar Ansari in Mau, which calls for more security cover to be provided to JD(U) candidates and the party president.

The party also demanded special security measures in Gunnaur in Badaun district where JD(U) is pitted against Mulayam Singh Yadav.

The constituency is infamous as during the last election, only those who did not oppose Mulayam Singh were allowed to vote and he garnered 95 per cent votes, the JD(U) leader claimed.

A party delegation led by General Secretaries Javed Raza and Mr Srivastava would meet with Election Commission officals on Monday in this regard.

UNI