Sakshi Maharaj joins SP

Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav today welcomed the entry of Sacchidanand Hari Sakshi into his party, admitting that the latter had played a major role in the success of his party in the Lok Sabha election in Uttar Pradesh.

The former Bharatiya Janata Party leader, popularly known as Swami Sakshi Maharaj, today formally joined the Samajwadi Party along with his supporters.

Sakhsi Maharaj had openly campaigned for the Samajwadi Party after being denied the BJP ticket for the Farrukhabad Lok Sabha seat, which he had won twice.

Mulayam said Sakshi Maharaj was instrumental in ensuring the victory of SP candidates in Etawah, Kannauj, Mainpuri, Farrukhabad, Etah, Jalesar, Ferozabad and Agra.

Sakhsi Maharaj said he was never comfortable in the BJP as its policies were opposed to the interests of minorities, backward classes, farmers and downtrodden segments of society.

He alleged that the BJP, the VHP and the RSS had ''conspired with then prime minister P V Narasimha Rao to raze the disputed structure at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992''.

''But I had tried to avert the mishappening,'' he claimed.

Sakshi Maharaj also castigated the BJP for ''its attempts to create an Ayodhya-like situation over the Krishna Janmabhoomi at Mathura.''

Asked about his relations with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, he said: ''I may have personal relations with different party leaders, but Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav is my leader as far as my political allegiance is concerned.''

The former defence minister defended the tight security cover given to Sakshi Maharaj, saying the life of the religious leader-turned-politician was at risk.

UNI