Lucknow, Nov 24 (IANS): After first information reports (FIR) against two central ministers for allegedly punching and kicking a protestor at Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi's recent rally in Allahabad, a criminal case was registered against another union minister Wednesday in Barabanki district over an alleged attempt to murder.

Shiv Shankar Shukla, an aspirant for a Congress ticket for the forthcoming state assembly election from Barabanki, about 35 km from here, has said in his police complaint that union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma, his son and four others used violence against him.

Verma and his son were not available for comment.

Shukla accused Verma, his son Rakesh Verma and four of their supporters of "attempt to murder, assault, rioting and violence", police said.

According to Shukla, he had gone to speak to state Congress president Rita Bahuguna Joshi while she was addressing a press conference along with actor-turned-Congress MP Raj Babbar Nov 21. Verma took serious offence to his presence and sent his goons to thrash him.

Shukla was seeking the party ticket from the constituency from where the minister wanted his son to be fielded.

"Beni Prasad Verma and his goons unleashed their violence on me simply because I dared to stake claim on more legitimate grounds," Shukla told reporters in Barabanki.