Undeterred by the storm he kicked up a few days ago, Union minister Beni Prasad Verma, once again, mounted another attack on Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav and said that one who “keeps looking after the interests of his own family cannot be a true Samajwadi”.
Mr Verma said that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi were real Samajwadis because they kept the nation above their family but Mulayam Singh Yadav is busy looking after his own family and cannot be termed a real Samajwadi.
The minister, who was speaking at a dharna organised by the UP Congress here on Saturday, further said that he will not bow to pressure politics and will not quit his ministerial post until he ensures that Mr Rahul Gandhi is made Prime Minister.
“Some people are dreaming of becoming the PM by winning 60 seats but their dreams will remain dreams,” he said on a sarcastic note.
The minister, however, was more generous towards UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and said that given the freedom to perform, he will emerge as a better leader because he was mature and well educated.
Mr Beni Prasad Verma pointed out that Uttar Pradesh had always played a key role in national politics but the situation in the state was very bad now.
“The money sent to UP for the welfare of dalits and minorities is being used to distribute laptops and unemployment allowances. The ruling party here is burning my effigies but met me tell you that when you burn someone’s effigy, he lives longer. I am going to remain active in politics for another 20 years,” he said.