Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav called to give free lPG cylinders to poor people.``What is great about increasing the number of subsidised lPG cylinders by the Centre.

The lPG cylinders should be given free to the poor," reacted former chief minister, Mulayam Singh Yadav while commenting on increase in subsidized lPG cylinders. Talking to media persons here during joining of former MP from Satna in Madhya Pradesh, Sukh lal Kushwaha, who left Bahujan Samaj Party to join SP, Mulayam said that there is nothing great of the Congress led UPA government if the subsidized cylinders were made 12 or 24. ``I am constantly demanding provision of free lPG cylinders to the poor," he said adding that how can a poor person pay such big price for the lPG cylinder.

Meanwhile again hitting out at the Opposition political Parties and even the media, the SP president said that everyone should appreciate the Uttar Pradesh government for its action in the Muzaffarnagar riots. "We have controlled the riots within two days and more than Rs 115 crores have been distributed among the victims. Has anyone done this in the past even when several hundred people died in Gujarat, Moradabad, Meerut and other riots," he questioned. Yadav said that even the Supreme Court has appreciated the role of the UP government in controlling the riots and launching the relief measures in Muzaffarnagar and its adjoining places."These political parties are just doing politics to defame the state government," he alleged.

Meanwhile senior BSP leader of Madhya Pradesh, Sukh lal Kushwaha joined SP in presence of Mulayam Singh Yadav. Kushwaha, said that he was feeling suffocated in BSP due to non-democratic attitude of the party president Mayawati. Soon after joining, Mulayam announced to make Kushwaha as the member of the party's national executive. He said that now the party would contest more seats in MP. SP has already announced 5 lok Sabha candidates in MP so far. 

Kushwaha said that his main effort would be to stop the communal BJP in coming to power at the Centre and he hopes that SP would perform better in MP and would emerge as a third force there after BJP and Congress. Sukh lal Kushawaha had defeated Congress heavy-weight Arjun Singh from Satna lok Sabha seat on BSP ticket in 1996.