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Netam quits BSP, keeps options open

The Bahujan Samaj Party has suffered a major setback with its general secretary and former Union minister Arvind Netam resigning from the party's primary membership.

Netam said he had sent his resignation to party chief Kanshi Ram. Explaining the reasons for his decision, he said, ''During Kanshi Ram's visit to Raipur last week, some workers had made allegations against me and some other party leaders, who had joined the BSP with me. Since some workers of this region are uncomfortable with me, I have decided to resign from the party's primary membership.''

Netam declared that he was not joining any other party immediately, but indicated the possibility of his return to the Congress. He had joined the BSP on April 15 last year after resigning from the Congress.

The tribal leader said he would not take any initiative about joining the Congress. Stating that he had not yet met any Congress leader nor any Congress leader had approached him, Netam also denied having written any letter to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

Replying to a question, he said he had not got any offer from the Bharatiya Janata Party so far. ''In politics nobody can predict what will happen tomorrow,'' he added.

Netam, who lost the recent general election from both Kanker and Janjgir constituencies in Madhya Pradesh, said he would prefer to contest the assembly poll in the state.

UNI

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