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Mayawati supporting Jat agitation: Ajit Singh

Special Correspondent

“BSP chief wary of RLD's influence in western U.P”

— Photo: PTI

Rashtriya Lok Dal president Ajit Singh addresses a press conference in Lucknow on Saturday.

LUCKNOW: Rashtriya Lok Dal president Ajit Singh has accused Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati of lending overt and covert support to the agitation and rail blockade by the Jats demanding reservation in Central government services.

Mr. Singh said the Bahujan Samaj Party chief's support was underlined by the fact that within 24 hours of the Allahabad High Court order the rail blockade was lifted.

Police used force against Samajwadi Party agitators but not on Jats, whose protest too was launched at the same time, he said.

Mr. Singh said, “Ms. Mayawati was wary of the RLD's influence in western Uttar Pradesh.” That was why she was supporting the Jat agitation, he told journalists here on Saturday.

Mr. Singh supported the Jats' demand , but said the method adopted by them was wrong. “Symbolic protest is understandable, but the general public cannot be put to inconvenience.” On the corruption issues confronting the UPA government, the RLD chief sought to give a clean chit to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Mr. Singh said civil society was standing up against scams like those of the CWG, 2G spectrum and Adarsh Housing Society. He dismissed the possibility of a mid-term election.

In another development, the former Minister and former SP MLA, Kiran Pal Singh, returned to the RLD fold. Mr. Kiran Pal Singh was the Basic Education Minister in the Mulayam Singh government. He said barring only one section of population, the rest were groaning under the Mayawati regime.

Stating that the erstwhile Lok Dal leaders were getting together again, Mr. Ajit Singh said the RLD was the only alternative to the Bahujan Samaj Party in western Uttar Pradesh.

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