Verma is stated close to Rahul Gandhi. In a recent meeting with MPs from Uttar Pradesh, the Congress vice president had asked them to "aggressively" raise issues in the state.
|Last Updated: Mar 30, 2013, 08:43 PM IST|Source: Bureau
New Delhi: Congress on Saturday maintained silence over Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma`s renewed attack on outside ally Samajwadi Party, which is hopeful that he will be removed during a minor Cabinet reshuffle being talked about soon.
Yet again targeting SP today, he said there will be a "funeral procession" for the party after the next Lok Sabha elections predicting that 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 alleged that Yadav has "cheated" Muslims over the Babri Masjid issue.
The SP, which has been angry with Verma`s recent attacks, today renewed its demand for his removal as minister over the "funeral procession" comment saying he has lost his "mental balance".
Significantly, Congress had last week snubbed Verma for his remarks that Yadav had links with terrorists had raked up a controversy.
Verma had also expressed "regret" while Congress president Sonia Gandhi had personally spoken to the SP chief making clear to him that her party did not share Verma`s view.
However, a senior Congress leader said no no decision has been taken yet on Verma`s removal.
The minister`s fresh attack has taken the SP by surprise. Some leaders feel that Verma will be removed from the Cabinet, Congress had given an assurance in this regard.
"Action would mean either to ensure that Verma goes silent or he is axed. Since he has continued his tirade, we expect him to be removed as minister," a senior leader from the Samajwadi Party said.
The SP`s belief also stems from speculation that there is a going to be a minor rejig in the Union Cabinet to fill the slots vacated by the DMK, which pulled out from the UPA.
Another section in the party, however, feels that Verma`s continued attack on Yadav and SP, clearly indicate that he could be having the backing of Rahul Gandhi, who wants to build the party in Uttar Pradesh.
"How can Verma continue to attack SP in a party like Congress if Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi decide that this should not happen," a leader argued.
Verma is stated close to Rahul Gandhi. In a recent meeting with MPs from Uttar Pradesh, the Congress Vice President had asked them to "aggressively" raise issues in the state.
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.
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.
Verma 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.
PTI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.