SP hints at axing MLAs

“We have completed the formalities of candidate selection in around half of the 403 seats and the first list can be announced any time this month,’’ said state SP president Akhilesh Yadav. He further said “the list could be announced during the auspicious ‘Navratra’,which is starting on Monday’’.

The party has conducted several surveys and sought reports from the observers for selection of the candidates.

Yadav said the first list will include most of the sitting members of the Assembly. The party has 85 MLAs.

“‘Some members who have worked against the party would be shown the door,” Akhilesh said. Besides,some MLAs will have to be denied the ticket because of the changes in the constituencies caused by delimitation.

“Delimitation has altered the profile of many constituencies. Several constituencies have been abolished and new have been created with entirely different caste and community profile.

So,many members wanted to change their seat,but the party cannot accommodate all such requests. Also,we have reports that some members have opened their channels of communication with other parties,” said the SP state president.

The SP had suspended four MLAs in January last for their proximity with the expelled leader Amar Singh. They are certainly not going to get the party ticket.

Sultan Beg,the MLA from Bareilly who is still in the SP,has been named as a BSP candidate. Similarly,Sunder Lal Lodhi,SP MLA from Hadha in Unnao district,has been named by the BSP as its candidate. These two leaders,too,are ruled out.

Sibgatullah Ansari,another SP MLA who is brother of mafia don Mukhtar Ansari,is also ruled out. Mukhtar had contested the 2009 Lok Sabha election on the BSP ticket from Varanasi and had lost to Murli Manohar Joshi of the BJP. Sibgatullah had worked for Mukhtar in the election.

A senior SP leader said the party was assessing the political situation in each constituency and the commitment of the ticket-seekers to the organisation. Besides the caste factor,financial prowess of the candidates would also be a factor in the selection of candidates.

Meanwhile,N P Kushwaha,BSP coordinator of Kushinagar district,joined the SP on Friday. He had left the SP before the 2007 Assembly elections.