Siddiqui puts SP on backfoot over graft

The ruling Samajwadi Party was put on the backfoot by Leader of Opposition Naseemuddin Siddiqui during the debate on the Governor’s address in the Vidhan Parishad on Friday.

Responding to allegations of corruption against the previous Mayawati government,Siddiqui said that several private firms in which “Netaji’s (Mulayam Singh Yadav) family members” had a stake had been pocketing money through PWD contracts when the SP was in power before 2007. Siddiqui pointed out that Jogendra Construction Company in Etah had a turnover of Rs 2,300 crore during the three-and-a-half-year tenure of the previous SP regime and Rajeev Construction Company had a turnover of Rs 1,800 crore. One Bihari Construction Company,which is owned by “the driver of the younger brother”,had a turnover of Rs 1,300 crore. Similarly,he mentioned Magrani Construction Company and Rameshwar Yadav Construction Company. When the SP members objected to the allegations,Siddiqui said,“Remember,I have been PWD minister and I possess all records. I can substantiate my words with documents.”