Low-lying Congress most favoured for potential turn coats in UP

Lucknow, Sep 7 (UNI) With the possibility of mid-term polls looming large on the country, several Lok Sabha members, particularly the criminal turned-politicians in Uttar Pradesh, are planning to switch over to Congress.

According to sources, at least six Lok Sabha members were expected to change their affiliation soon and most of them were in favour of Congress to ensure their political status in the coming Lok Sabha elections which may take place anytime next year.

Samajwadi Party MP Atiq Ahmed and Afzal Ansari were likely to join the Congress while rebel SP MP Beni Prasad Verma had already announced he would resign as the party MP on September 14.

''All the three MPs have already started their early talks with the Congress leadership with the help of some senior Congress leaders of the state,'' the sources said.

Mr Verma, MP from Kaiserganj seat, had already supported the Congress in the last assembly polls.

Atiq, member from Phoolpur seat, against whom several cases had been registered by the present Mayawati government, is inclined towards Congress as the SP leadership did not act accordingly against the BSP government's tirade against him and his family members, sources said adding that Afzal, member from Gazipur seat and elder brother of Independent MLA Mukhtar Ansari, was also keen in joining the Congress for an assured political future.

The sources further said that a senior Congress leader, who wants to contest the Lok Sabha polls from Allahabad seat, was interested in the joining of Atiq in the party.

Meanwhile three other BSP MPs-- Bhalchand Yaadv, Ramakant Yadv and Mohammad Shahid Akhlaq--facing disqualification charges from the Lok Sabha, were also likely to join other political faction.

These three MPs, had switched over to the SP during the assembly polls but as the party could not retain the power, they are now in search of a viable options like Congress.

On the other hand criminal turned politician and MLA Dhananjay Singh also hinted of joining the Congress.

''I was elected on Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) first time in the assembly which is the part of the UPA government at the centre'', he told mediapersons recently.

UNI