Suspension of 'bribed' SP MLA revoked in MP

Bhopal, Mar 27 (UNI) Madhya Pradesh's Samajwadi Party legislator Kishor Samrite, who exposed Congress bribery in the run-up to Rajya Sabha elections and levelled grave allegations against senior SP leaders, today executed a somersault by again clutching the SP coattails and his suspension from the party was also revoked.

At a press conference here, SP General Secretary Amar Singh -- flanked by Mr Samrite -- announced the revocation and also lavished praise on the MLA for the expose. The political development is being viewed as crucial on the eve of Upper House polls here for three seats.

Mr Singh, who reached here this morning from an SP national convention underway at Jabalpur, said, ''I have had discussions with seven of this state's eight SP legislators. I will speak to the eighth MLA Vijay Bahadur Singh Bundela by evening. They will vote in favour of Congress-supported independent candidate Vivek Krishna Tankha.'' Dodging a poser on Mr Samrite lodging a police complaint against him, Mr Singh said, ''elders should forgive.'' Pointing out that Mr Samrite had alerted the Central Bureau of Investigation and police of the bribery, Mr Singh alleged that it was a grave failure by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his administration that the accused was not caught red-handed.

''Even a section of the press, which reached the spot for a sting operation, could not bring out the truth,'' he said.

After much badgering by media, Mr Samrite mentioned that the police officer concerned had already said that no case could be registered against Mr Singh on the basis of his complaint.

UNI SD-AC 1800