Lucknow, February 01: A day after Amar Singh launched Lok Manch, a non-political front, in Ghazipur (UP), SP Lok Sabha MP from Rampur Jaya Prada came out in his support, but the party was quick to run her down, saying she had become history for them.
“Amar Singhji has served the party for 14 years, but now the party is humiliating him. Netaji (Mulayam Singh) must intervene,” Jaya Prada told a press conference here. “Amar Singhji stood by me in the time of crisis (when SP leader Azam Khan opposed her candidature in the last Lok Sabha elections), I will stand by Amar Singhji in this time of crisis.”
“Amar Singhji announced a Lok Manch yesterday. This is going to be a non-political front active in all the districts and will raise the issues of public concern without adversely impacting the party. We all are going to be working for the Lok Manch,” said Jaya Prada, flanked by a few SP legislators from the state.
Asserting that “despite his poor health, Amar Singh has worked selflessly for the party”, the MP from Rampur targeted Mohan Singh, the newly elected SP spokesman and General Secretary. “Who has given Mohan Singh the right to seek his resignation? How can the statements he has been making against Amar Singh be described as the party’s viewpoint?” the film actress-turned-politician asked. Mohan Singh had last week asked Amar Singh to resign as Rajya Sabha MP on moral grounds.
Jaya Prada said if Mohan Singh continued to attack Amar Singh, “then this will not be tolerated… How can a spokesman use his post to say such things about a senior leader”.
Asked whom she would choose between Amar and Mulayam, she said, “Amar Singh supported me when some party leaders were attacking me during the Lok Sabha polls. Now when he is in trouble I am supporting him… but that does not mean we will leave the party. We are not against Mulayam Singh.”
While Amar Singh has already launched a tirade against the party by singling out the SP chief for patronising criminals in the party and also voicing his views on the use of English and computers, Jaya Prada took a view contrary to the SP position on the Women’s Reservation Bill.
“Though being an SP member I have opposed the Women’s Reservation Bill in the current format, personally, I think women should be given appropriate reservation (in legislatures),” she added.
In Lucknow, party general secretary Ram Asray Kushwaha termed Jaya Prada’s statement gross indiscipline, saying “till now we were hearing Amar’s statement, now Jaya Prada has joined the chorus”.
“On January 27, I had said that Amar Singh had become history for the SP, now Jaya Prada too has joined him,” he added.
—-PTI