Beni fires another salvo, predicts 'funeral procession' for SP after Lok Sabha polls

LUCKNOW/NEW DELHI: Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma says there will be a "funeral procession" for SP after the next Lok Sabha elections predicting it will win only four seats, triggering a fresh war of words with UPA's key outside supporter which demanded his immediate dismissal

Verma also fired a second salvo in two days at the Samajwadi Party(SP), alleging today its supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav has "cheated" Muslims over the Babri Masjid issue.

The SP while demanding Verma's removal as the Steel minister from the Union Cabinet over the "funeral procession" comment said he has lost his "mental balance".

Hitting back at Verma, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav appeared to suggest that it will be Congress which will get no more than four to five seats.

"Parties which struggled to get 5,000-10,000 votes in the Assembly polls in most of the constituencies will be able to win not more than 4-5 seats out of 80 in Lok Sabha elections," Akhilesh told reporters in Allahabad.

Talking about the poll prospects of various parties in UP, Verma said at a rally in Lucknow yesterday SP will win only four seats in the next Lok Sabha polls and there will be a "funeral procession" for the party.

Verma stuck to his assessment today saying, "My political analysis is that he will win only four seats in areas around Etawah(in UP)".

"Mulayam has cheated Muslims...He did not do anything to save Babri Masjid," he told reporters in Lucknow.

SP General Secretary Ram Gopal Yadav said Verma held a grudge against the party for two successive defeats of his son Rakesh in assembly polls while another party general secretary Ram Asrey Kushwaha said the remark was "unfortunate" and demanded his "immediate removal" from the government.

SP state unit spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said Verma will be "nowhere in the next Lok Sabha elections and Congress will have to suffer due to such baseless statement."

Kushwaha said Verma has lost his "mental balance" as according to his calculation, all parties combined would get 90 seats, whereas there are only 80 Lok Sabha seats in UP.

Beni had recently triggered a storm by alleging Mulayam had "terrorist links" leading to calls for his removal from the Union Ministry. He had later regretted his remarks. SP had maintained Verma should have personally apologised to Mulayam and expressing regret was not enough.