RSP asks Left to rethink support

New Delhi, May 26: Reeling under the defeat in Karnataka, the Congress on Monday got warning signals from allies with the RSP asking other Left parties to have a re-look on the support to a government which has "lost popularity".

Making his displeasure known, RSP general secretary T.J. Chandrachoodan said the Left parties should "seriously" ponder over continuing support to the Congress-led government, which he felt is pursuing "anti-people" policies.

"The anti-people economic policies of this government has sparked anger among the people. The UPA has lost six Assembly elections within a span of one year," the senior Left leader said. Significantly, CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat has also put the onus of Karnataka drubbing on the Centre, saying it was a reflection of the loss of credibility of the Congress as well as the UPA government’s performance. Mr Chandrachoodan said the UPA is facing defeat after defeat, but still the government has not paid heed to the specific suggestions made by the Left parties to rein in inflation and to "set right" its economic policies. — PTI

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SP leaders scout for new LS seats

By Amita Verma

Lucknow

May 26: Top Samajwadi leaders will not contest the Lok Sabha elections from their traditional seats in Uttar Pradesh.

According to highly-placed sources in the party, a majority of the leaders will be switching to new seats because of the changes brought in by delimitation.

The Samajwadi Party announced on Monday that party MP Akhilesh Yadav will not contest from his Kannauj seat. Former BJP MP Ram Baksh Singh Varma, who joined the Samajwadi Party on Monday, will contest the Kannauj seat.

This was announced at a press conference by state working president Shivpal Singh Yadav.

Sources said that Mr Akhilesh Yadav was likely to shift to Ferozabad, which is considered a safe seat after delimitation. Dharmendra Yadav, the Samajwadi MP from Mainpuri, will shift to Badaun while party president Mulayam Singh Yadav is expected to contest the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat.

Some more changes in the seats of sitting MPs are in the offing.

A senior party leader said that the changes were being made to ensure the party’s victory in the Lok Sabha polls. "If a well-known leader contests a seat, then his presence makes a difference to the neighbouring seats. That is why we do not want the leaders to be clustered in one particular region," the senior leader explained.