Faisal Fareed
Daijiworld Media Network - Lucknow
Lucknow, Aug 24: The Samajwadi Party (SP) on Wednesday looked relaxed with workers at party headquarters at Vikramaditya Marg thanking their stars that Amar Singh is not with them anymore. Amar Singh, who was national general secretary and also number 2 in the party was expelled in February. Soon he was involved in cash for vote scam and finally was chargesheeted on Wednesday.
"We would have no face saving situation if Amar Singh was still with us. Luckily he is no more with us and thus we are safe in this cash for vote scam. This was the least we would have expected with assembly election approaching in the state," said a party worker in Lucknow.
On Wednesday, the former SP General Secretary Amar Singh chargesheeted in a Delhi Court in the 2008 cash-for-vote scam. Two ex-BJP MPs Phagan Singh Kuleste and Mahaveer Singh Bhagoda and L K Advani's former close aide Sudheendra Kulkarni are also chargesheeted for allegedly hatching a conspiracy to bribe MPs ahead of a confidence vote in Lok Sabha. Sanjeev Saxena, former aide of Amar Singh and Suhail Hindustani, alleged BJP activist, who are in judicial custody, have also been chargesheeted in the case.
The 80-page charge sheet was filed before Special Judge Sangita Dhingra Sehgal. It will come up for cognisance before her for hearing on Thursday. As per the chargesheet, Amar Singh who is member of Rajya Sabha had conspired with Sanjeev Saxena to bribe the then MPs and Sudheer Kulkarni played an active role in the bribing act and was present while money exchanged hands. Another BJP MP Ashok Argal, who was sought to be bribed to disobey the party line, was not mentioned in the charge sheet and Delhi Police said it would file a supplementary charge sheet after taking the requisite sanction to prosecute him as he is still a member of parliament.
Presently, Amar Singh, the politician is heading his own outfit Rashtriya Lok Manch and is waging a battle for carving a seperate state from eastern region of the Uttar Pradesh. His outfit has been registered with the election commission and Amar Singh has even declared candidates for some assembly segments in UP. Last time he was in UP seen holding an Iftar for Muslims in a starred hotel. Earlier he also organised several conferences to woo brahmins and other sections of the society.
He is still assisted with Lok Sabha member and bollywood actress Jaya Prada who often flanks him during his visits. Jaya Prada who also won on SP ticket has been expelled from the party and is currently with Amar Singh.