National

Naresh Agarwal quits SP, Assembly

LUCKNOW: The former Minister and Samajwadi Party general secretary, Naresh Agarwal, on Saturday resigned from the SP, citing the “stranglehold of a caucus” around its president Mulayam Singh.

He also quit his Hardoi seat in the Assembly.

In his letter to Mr. Singh, Mr. Agarwal criticised the recent efforts by the party leadership to smoke the peace pipe with the Congress. When it was in power, the SP spared no opportunity to condemn the United Progressive Alliance government, but today it was trying to tie itself to the Congress apron strings. The motive appeared to be to get relief for the “caucus” from court cases, he alleged.

Mr. Agarwal said he had several times apprised the party president of the harm being caused by the “caucus,” but aspersions were cast on those who spoke against it.

He is the third senior leader, after Beni Prasad Verma and Raj Babbar, who publicly aired his resentment against the goings-on in the party.

Though he is keeping all his options open, it is learnt, Mr. Agarwal is likely to join the Bahujan Samaj Party soon. The recent initiative by BSP leader and Chief Minister Mayawati to win over the Vaishya (business) community is being seen as the “pull factor.”

Raj Kumar Agarwal also resigned from the SP and his membership of the Legislative Council.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu