Congress announces tie-up with Mahan Dal in UP

LUCKNOW : Congress on Wednesday announced an alliance with Mahan Dal, a little-known political outfit claiming support among some backward classes in select pockets of central and west UP. Congress general secretary (east UP) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and her west UP counterpart Jyotiraditya Scindia welcomed Mahan Dal chief Keshav Dev Maurya at the UPCC headquarters after making the announcement.

LUCKNOW: Opposition lawmakers created a ruckus in both houses of the legislature for the second day on Tuesday over denial of permission to party chief Akhilesh Yadav to board a chartered flight to Prayagraj to attend a students’ union function and the police lathicharge on SP workers who were protesting the action against their party chief.

In the Vidhan Sabha, Samajwadi Party MLAs pressed for a judicial inquiry into the Tuesday’s police lathicharge. The MLAs also demanded withdrawal of fake cases lodged against party workers.

The state government, however, said strict action will be taken against those who tried to indulge in anarchy and lawlessness.As the house assembled for the day, SP MLA Narendra Verma demanded discussion on police action on SP workers. Parliamentary affairs minister Suresh Khanna opposed the plea. “The state government will not permit the SP workers to create turmoil in the state. Those trying to take law into their hands will be dealt with strictly,” he said.

Registering their protest SP, BSP and the Congress workers rushed into the well of the house. Speaker Hriday Narayan Dikshit adjourned the house till 12.30pm.

Leader of the BSP legislature party Lalji Verma said the students’ union had sent invitation to Akhilesh Yadav on January 27 but the district administration stopped him from visiting Allahabad at the eleventh hour on Tuesday.

Khanna informed the house that the DM and the SSP of Prayagraj had sent a letter to the SP chief urging him to postpone his visit as it might lead to law and order problem. “The letter was received by Ganga Ram, personal secretary of the SP national president. Still with a motive to create lawlessness in the state the SP chief decided to visit Prayagraj,” he said. In the Vidhan Parishad, leader of Opposition (LoP), Ahmad Hasan raised the issue of stopping Akhilesh Yadav. Repeated disruptions forced the chair to adjourn the house.