SP-BSP lock horns in Uttar Pradesh ahead of polls

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RATAN SHARGA

08 March, 2011

The political battle between the SP and BSP has begun in Uttar Pradesh against the backdrop of the upcoming state elections. The SP has called for a 3-day bandh to protest against the ruling state government.

THE GAME of political tug of war is on nowadays between the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and staunch rival Samajwadi Party here in Uttar Pradesh. Samajwadi Party supporters and leaders came out on the streets of various districts across the state in protest against government policies, and disrupted rail and road movement as a part of their three-day long state wide stir, which began on Monday throwing the normal life out of gear.

The party is trying to gather mass support in their favour, which could dislodge the Mayawati government in the next assembly polls.

It was the common man once again, who has to bear the brunt of this political drama, which caused delays in the running of trains and commuters at various places as the roads and rail tracks were blocked by the agitators.

Police resorted to lathicharge at many places to clear roads and many leaders of the party were put under house arrest and section 144 was imposed in the state to restrict the activities of Samajwadi Party workers and leaders.

Samajwadi Party leader and former chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav was put under ‘house arrest’ since Monday morning and was not allowed to move out of his house. Police put barricades in order to put a check on his movement while his brother and leader of opposition Shivpal Singh Yadav was arrested by the police in Lucknow as a precautionary measure.

However, the Union government has sought an explanation from the state government on the issue of arresting of Members of Parliament from Samajwadi Party by the state government to which the state government has replied the action was taken in view of keeping the law and order situation under control. Some 18 MLAs were arrested by the police and four MPs too were taken into custody which the police described as ‘preventive arrest.’

On the other hand, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) state president Swami Prasad Maurya has dubbed the entire agitation as a ‘flop show.’ He said the state government had made elaborate arrangements to see no hooliganism was allowed, and the law and order situation in the state should not get disturbed following the three day long state wide stir by the Samajwadi Party.