Beni says rallies by Modi, Mulayam fixed, Amit Shah plays mediator

Lucknow: Alleging that the rallies addressed by SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and BJP's prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi in Uttar Pradesh recently were "fixed", Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma today claimed speeches of both the leaders were scripted by Amit Shah.

"Shah is playing the role of mediator... that is why he has been brought to Uttar Pradesh (as in-charge of BJP's state unit)," Verma said, "the speech of both Yadav and Modi for their rallies were written by Shah."

Beni Prasad Verma. AFP

"They both seemed to like having a debate from their respective stage in Varanasi and Gorakhpur recently," Verma said at a press conference here.

Three recent rallies of Yadav and Modi each coincided on the same day apparently to show that the fight is between these two, but the people who are the real referee in this "fixed match" would punish both, Verma said.

He alleged that this "understanding between the SP and BJP" is very old.

Had not this been the case why and with what aim did "Mulayam renamed Tedhi Bazar police station in Ayodhya in 1990 as Janmbhoomi thana" or why Yadav's officials submitted an affidavit in the Supreme Court giving a clean chit to BJP leader L K Advani, he asked.

"After the Godhra riots why SP fielded Muslim candidates in Gujarat," he asked, adding Advani, in his autobiography "My Country My Life", has thanked Yadav for his advice which had brought his party to power at the Centre.

Stressing that no section of society was happy with the SP government as it was "befooling everyone", Verma alleged that it was now aiming to bring together Brahmins and Muslims by distributing lollypops (ministerial berths) in view of the upcoming election.

"Congress would get 50 seats, BJP would not cross 10 and SP might not open its account in the state in the coming Lok Sabha elections," Verma said, adding his party would field its candidates on all 80 seats, including Mainpuri and Kannauj (represented by Yadav and his daughter-in-law).

Verma claimed the SP supremo wanted to see the end of Congress as he "wants relief from CBI cases against him".

To a question on Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi facing opposition during a recent visit to his Amethi constituency, Verma asked, "How can there be democracy without opposition?"

PTI