February 25, 2009 12:57:56 am
Actor-MP taunts Khan for readiness to take help even from BJP for setting up a university; Muslim leader talks of her saffron attire and praise for Advani
The ongoing war of words between Samajwadi Party (SP) MP from Rampur Jaya Prada and the partys general secretary Azam Khan got uglier today with both leaders trading fresh allegations.
Though she referred to Khan as a recognised Muslim leader with a tall personality and sound credentials,the actor-MP took a dig at him for his remarks that he would support anyone who gets permission for the proposed Maulana Ali Jauhar University.
He would support even BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi if he helped him get a clearance for the university. He brought me to Rampur. But now,for about six months,he had been talking against me for some reason, said the Rampur MP,adding that Khan was welcome to contest from Rampur if he so wished.
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I call him my elder brother and it is my duty to vacate this seat for him and appeal to him to contest,if he is interested, Jaya Prada said.
Khan,the SPs most prominent Muslim face,has been sulking for some time but has become vocal after the party leaderships new-found proximity with Kalyan Singh,who once openly claimed responsibility for the Babri Masjids demolition.
The issue is not Jaya Prada. The issue is Kalyan Singh, Khan said. I had never asked for Lok Sabha ticket neither from SP nor from any other party. I was never a contender for this seat. So why she is offering this seat to me, he said.
Khan denied having mentioned anything about Jauhar University or about Naqvi. On the contrary,when she visited Rampur after her name was announced for the seat,she was attired in saffron and had spoken in favour of BJP leader LK Advani, Khan alleged.
Both leaders sought to corner credit for the development of Rampur. While Jaya Prada patted herself for a blood bank,a 300-bed hospital,an intensive care unit,a girls hostel and a burns unit,Khan said each building of the city bears his name. What can be attributed to her,which was also her only dream project,is a half-constructed girls hostel for handicraft workers, Khan said.
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