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Top SP leaders of Maharashtra join Congress

The electoral prospects of the Congress received a big boost tonight when almost all the senior leaders of the Maharashtra unit of the Samajwadi Party joined it, accusing Mulayam Singh Yadav of deviating from the "secular path".

Congress general secretary Madhavrao Scindia announced in New Delhi that state Samajwadi Party president Hussain Dalwai, who is also a member of the state legislative council, vice-president Harvansh Singh, youth wing president Bhagwan Bhogle and women's unit chief Shaila Satpute had joined the party with several workers and office-bearers.

Stating that they had joined the Congress without any pre-condition, Dalwai accused Samajwadi Party chief Yadav of conniving with the "communal" Bharatiya Janata Party and going "on the path of Mr George Fernandes instead of following the philosophy of Dr Lohia".

"SP had risen because of its severe resistance to those who demolished the Babri mosque, but today it is helping the demolishers (sic)," he said.

Realising that only the Congress could defeat the Shiv Sena-BJP combine in Maharashtra and to prevent any division of minority votes, the state Samajwadi Party leaders had decided to strengthen Sonia Gandhi's hands, Dalwai said.

He said the support the Samajwadi Party used to command among the minorities was fast dwindling because of its hidden support to the BJP.

UNI

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Renuka Choudhary quits 'saffron' TDP, joins Congress

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