SP announces LS candidate from Kannuaj

Lucknow, May 26: In a significant announcement, the Samajwadi Party today named Mr Ram Bhakt Singh Verma as the Lok Sabha candidate from Kannuaj parliamentary seat presently held by Mr Akhilesh Yadav, son of party President Mulayam Singh Yadav.

The announcement to this effect was made by state working president of SP Shiv Pal Singh Yadav here at a press conference.

Incidentally, Mr Verma, the two-time Rajya Sabha member joined the SP today along with his son after resigning from the BJP.

Mr Yadav said the candidature of Mr Verma was decided in view of his influence in the area. He said the decision of the seat for Akhilesh Yadav to contest Lok Sabha polls would be taken shortly.

He said there were demands from the partymen of various constituencies to field Akhilesh and a decision in this regard would be taken by the party high command very soon.

This was the first announcement made by party regarding the Lok Sabha candidate. The SP leader said process was on to select other candidates as well.

The senior SP leader was critical of the Rajasthan government for using force against the agitating Gujjar community saying the BJP government in that state had violated the democratic norms.

The Samajwadi Party fully supported the cause of Gujjars in Rajasthan and reminded that the party national Executive had already passed a resolution in their favour, he added.

UNI