Is Beni working on a strategy?

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For those who think that Union minister Beni Prasad Verma’s has a penchant for shooting from the hip, this could come as a surprise.
The minister’s tirade against the Samajwadi Party is apparently a part of a well-thought out strategy. The veteran politician has blasting his one-time friend Mulayam Singh Yadav with an alarming regularity and recently, he even set the UP Congress on fire when he accused some of his colleagues of helping the Samajwadi Party in the last Assembly elections.
According to sources, Mr Verma is considered particularly close to Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who appreciates his view point on various issues concerning UP.
“Mr Verma statements are a part of his strategy. He first informs Mr Gandhi about the developments in the state and then tells him what he is going to say. It is only then that he speaks to the media or at public functions,” said a source.
Mr Verma, on the other hand, says candidly, “I am 72 and have no ambitions left for myself. Why, then, should I not speak the truth? Others may be sycophants but I am not one. I am also ready to face action if the party high command thinks that I am wrong in speaking out.”
While his statements against the Samajwadi leadership had gone down well with the rank and file of the Congress who are happy that, at least, one leader has taken a position against the ruling party, his diatribe against his own colleagues has left Congressmen shocked in the state.
“Whatever I said, I said with conviction and the party high command is already aware of what happened at the ground level. Those who are criticising me should do some introspection themselves,” he said.
Mr Verma further said that his only ambition was to see Mr Rahul Gandhi as prime minister and he was unconcerned about what others felt about him.
Mr Verma’s statements have invariably caused a furore in political circles—both in Lucknow and in Delhi.
Parliament was stalled after he alleged that the Samajwadi Party president had links with the terrorists. In Lucknow, Samajwadis staged protests and burnt his effigies while the Samajwadi Party demanded his dismissal from the government.
The minister, however, remains unfazed and continues with his barbs against Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav.
A senior Samajwadi leader also agreed that the Congress high command was fully supportive of Mr Verma’s barbs against their party. “The Congress distances itself and apologised for Mr Verma’s statements but does not take action against him. We have realised that this is a game of shadow boxing and will not be smitten by the words of the Congress any more,” the leader said.