‘Willing to be sacrificed if it solves the crisis’

NEW DELHI: Portrayed as the architect of the ongoing crisis within the Samajwadi Party by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, Amar Singh broke his silence on Thursday and said he was ready to “sacrifice” himself if it can help resolve the feud.

He also hit out at expelled SP leader Ramgopal Yadav for “threatening” him, saying if anything happens to him, the blame would lie on the party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav’s cousin.

“Sacrifice me. I am ready, if (my) sacrifice can solve the problem,” he said here.

Reaching out to Akhilesh, he said the young leader should not go by what “backbiters” say. “Let Mulayam Singh say that I have said anything against Akhilesh... there is a new breed of people who are with the CM as he is in power. I am, was, and would remain with Akhilesh, the son of Mulayam Singh, not the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh ... Mu lay am is not only Akhilesh’s father, but also the father of Samajwadi Party,” Singh said.

The veteran politician said he was blamed even when Akhilesh replaced Shivpal Yadav as party’s state unit chief. He said when Akhilesh’s family was opposing his plans to marry Dimple, “I was the one who stood by him, but today I am hurt by his words. There is no photo of his wedding in which this ‘power broker’ is not there,” he said, expressing disappointment over the chief minister’s remarks.

Responding to a poser on a claim by Ramgopal that no one can guarantee Singh’s safety if he made any statement against the former, Singh said it was an open “threat” and he would seek protection from the Union home minister.

AMAR BREAKS SILENCE Ramgopal is no ordinary person, he knows how to use a pen as well as a carbine...If I die or am hurt, Ramgopal is to be blamed... I would leave India... Please let me live. AMAR SINGH, SP leader