Udit Raj blasts Mulayam for his statutes demolition statement

Lucknow, Jul 31 (UNI) Indian Justice Party (IJP) supremo Udit Raj has condemned the statement of Samajwadi Party (SP) president Mulayam Singh Yadav of demolishing the statues of UP Chief Minister Mayawati, saying it will only earn more popularity for the BSP in the country.

'' I am surprised to read such a childish statement by a seasoned politician as it will only polarise the Dalit vote bank in favour of the BSP,'' Mr Raj told mediapersons here today.

He asked how Mr Yadav would bulldoze the statues of Ms Mayawati when the SP was out of power for the next four years.

'' Certainly this statement will hit the sentiments of the dalits who in return will rally with Ms Mayawati in the entire country,'' he claimed.

Mr Raj also criticised the SP and the Congress for playing on the lines of the BSP and only helping Ms Mayawati to fulfil her dream to become the Prime Minister.

Though a severe critic of the Chief Minister the IJP president said the wrong political decisions of the SP and the Congress would enable the BSP to win over 50 Lok Sabha (LS) seats.

The BSP could only be cut to size if the SP and the Congress go for an alliance with the IJP in the LS polls ''he added.

Announcing that the IJP was prepared to contest all the 80 seats in the LS polls, he said the party was also ready for an electoral alliance with the SP and the Congress. '' Now it is up to the Congress and the SP to shake hands with the IJP to restrict the BSP to 25 LS seats in UP, ''he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Raj, who is a member of the National Intregration Council, met Mr Buta Singh, Chairman of the National Commission for SC/ST and asked him to intervene for lodging of a case against the Lucknow police over the beating of IJP activists on April 14 last.

Mr Raj said the Chairman had asked the UP DGP to immediately register the case.

The IJP supremo was among the 20 IJP workers injured in the police lathicharge when they were not allowed to hold a programme on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Dalit leader Ambedkar in Lucknow.

UNI MB SB SKB VC1542