SP's googly to Congress on Sanjay Dutt issue

Seeking to turn the tables on the Sanjay Dutt issue, Amar Singh on Friday said that if the Congress was ready to field the actor, the Samajwadi party would support him. He told reporters that a section of Congress leaders have accused him of "poaching on Sanjay Dutt to tease that party".

"Let me make it clear that if Congress is ready to field Sanjay on their party's symbol, SP would support him," he said. Singh was reacting to a question on Congress' claim that it would field some candidates in Uttar Pradesh without consulting SP.

SP and Congress are engaged in seat sharing talks for Lok Sabha polls in UP.

"Congress leaders will have to understand that once we have extended support to the secular alliance led by Soniaji, any division of secular votes will only benefit Bahujan Samaj Party," Singh said to a question on Congress' request of a 'friendly fight' on some Lok Sabha seats.

He said division of secular votes "would mean that the treatment meted out to Soniaji in Rae Bareli, Rahul Gandhi in Kanpur and Amar Singh in Gorakhpur will continue."

He said the SP and the Congress were not political rivals any longer. "We extended them support in the most crucial time," Singh said, referring to the SP supporting the United Progressive Alliance during the trust vote in the Lok Sabha.

Singh said the SP would try to ensure that the alliance with the Congress continues. He said if it fails to materialise, his party would not field any candidate against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, in Rae Bareli and Amethi respectively.