Sacked minister Raj Kishore Singh has raised the banner of revolt against the Samajwadi Party brass and indicated at a rally in Basti that he might soon desert the party and contest the next Assembly polls either as an Independent or from any other party.
Singh, who was sacked from the cabinet by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav along with Mining minister Gyatri Prajapati on September 13, accused the ruling SP of conspiring to 'politically finish' him.
"I was dismissed from the cabinet for no rhyme or reason. It was not a routine matter. Whenever a leader tries to emerge in east UP, he is wiped out in a calculated manner. I was dismissed from the cabinet only to push me out from politics of eastern UP,’’ said Raj Kishore Singh.
In a show of strength, the former minister organised a big rally in his Assembly constituency of Hariyya in Basti. Adressing the impresive crowd, he said that he would soon announce the poll symbol on which he will contest the next Assembly polls. Advisor in Energy department (status of a minister of state) Surendra Pratap Singh and Chairman of Basti Zila Panchyat Devendra Pratap Singh also addressed the rally.
"People of my constituency often ask me on which symbol will I contest the next elections. Have patience, I will very soon announce my symbol. I will do whatever is required for protecting the honour and prestige of the people of Basti and eastern UP. Fron now on, UP politics will be steered from Basti,’’ Singh asserted.
The former minister said, "Even if I contest the elections as an Independent, I will win the election as I have worked for the people and have their backing. All parties have used eastern UP as a stepping stone but once they are voted to power, the region is conveniently forgotten. I will not allow this precedent to continue any further."
Singh of his family members however did not mention the SP's first family, intheir speeches. They however spit venom and used invectives against SP MlC and CM' confidant Santosh Yadav 'Sunny' and accused him of conspiring against Singh.
A known party hopper, Singh was elected for the first time to the Assembly on a BSP ticket. However afterthe fall of BSP-BJP coalition in 2003, he defected to the Samajwadi Party.
Serious charges of land grabbing and extortion from contractors and engineers were levelled against the former minister which led to his ouster from the cabinet along with Mining minister Gyatri Prajapati. He resorted to sunsuccessful lobbying for his reinduction into the cabinet.