SP names Amar Singh, Beni Prasad for RS election

Over 6 years after it expelled Amar Singh, the Samajwadi Party on Tuesday ‘unanimously’ declared him as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha polls, setting stage for his possible return to the party.

The party also nominated six others, including former Union minister Beni Prasad Verma, an influential Kurmi leader who recently quit Congress and returned to the Samajwadi Party, and realtor Sanjay Seth for the biennial polls scheduled next month.

When asked about when would Singh, a former confidante of Mulayam Singh Yadav, rejoin the party, Shivpal Singh Yadav, a UP Minister and brother of party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav said," It will be decided by Netaji (Mulayam) and Amar Singh. We have earlier also sent Congress leaders Pramod Tiwari and P L Punia to Rajya Sabha." Amar Singh along with his close associate Jaya Prada were expelled from the SP in February, 2010.