Bhopal, Nov 03: Apparently apprehending possible arrest, expelled BSP leader and founder president of newly-floated Samata Samaj Party (SSP), Phool Singh Baraiyya, today skipped a party function here and was believed to have gone underground. Facing charges of theft of election related documents from BSP's Bhopal and Gwalior offices, Baraiyya is said to have moved to some `hide-out' somewhere between Gwalior and Bhopal.
According to SSP sources, Baraiyya was to address a state level convention of party workers and inaugurate the party office here but he could not be contacted on mobile phone after his motorcade from Gwalior crossed Jhansi.
The decision to go underground was apparently taken in view of reports of a police team being deputed from Gwalior to arrest Baraiyya after his anticipatory bail application was rejected by a Gwalior court two days ago, they said.
In his absence, SSP vice-president Sant Kumar presided over the workers' convention and also declared Sunil Borse as the party's president in Madhya Pradesh.
A party delegation led by Kumar later met governor Ram Prasad Gupta and submitted a memorandum demanding adequate security cover for Baraiyya. Bureau Report