Former Union minister Beni Prasad Verma on Friday quit the Congress and rejoined the Samajwadi Party, a move which is likely to shore up the SP's prospects in the 2017 assembly polls.
As the war of words between Union minister Beni Prasad Verma and SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav reached a crescendo, Congress sought to maintain an arm's length from the imbroglio, describing it as "personal issues" between two individuals.
After a brief lull, Union minister Beni Prasad Verma on Saturday launched another tirade against Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, saying those "serving family interest" cannot be termed as socialists.
Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma, who has been censured by the Election Commission for his insulting remarks against Narendra Modi, has stoked a fresh controversy by comparing the BJP prime ministerial candidate to a "monster".
The Rajya Sabha member was not keeping well for the past few days and was admitted to a private hospital in Lucknow, where he died around 7 pm.
The war of words between the Samajwadi Party and Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma war turned personal on Sunday with SP leader Shivpal Yadav accusing the Union Minister of smuggling opium and using charas.
Congressmen allege Verma has ignored loyal Congressmen and given tickets to his cronies for the first phase of the Uttar Pradesh election on Wednesday.
Samajwadi Party activists raised slogans and clashed with Congress workers during the foundation stone laying ceremony of a processing unit of the Steel Authority of India by Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma. The Union minister laid the foundation stone of Rs 100 crore steel processing unit at Godani Basahi village in Risia area on Monday evening.
Union Minister Beni Prasad Varma on Monday continued to target Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, this time apparently over the latter's praising of L K Advani, saying a leader, whose party itself does not stick to the principles of truth, cannot be a truthful one.
In an apparent softening of stand on the remarks made by Beni Prasad Verma against Mulayam Singh Yadav, Samajwadi Parliamentary Party on Thursday slammed the Union minister but decided to go slow on the issue following intervention of Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
Expressing "serious concern" over repeated violation of the Model Code of Conduct by Union minister Beni Prasad Verma, the Election Commission on Thursday censured him for making "highly insulting" remarks against Narendra Modi while addressing an election rally in Kanpur.
Congress on Wednesday distanced itself from Union minister Beni Prasad Verma's tirade against Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav saying it does "not approve" of anybody using "objectionable" language against any person or any community.
With the exit of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam from United Progressive Alliance, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday sought to drive a wedge between Congress and Samajwadi Party demanding immediate removal of Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma for his remarks against Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, who has come under attack by Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma, on Friday advised him to learn some decorum as the way in which he was talking is not Congress culture.
Factionalism in Congress came to the fore on Wednesday with Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma terming party MP from Barabanki P L Punia as an "outsider" though the party downplayed it and termed it as media creation.
Amid demands by the Samajwadi Party for his dismissal from the government, Congress on Monday pulled up Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma for his remarks against Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Union minister Beni Prasad Verma on Monday accused Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav of conniving with Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani in the run-up to the demolition of Babri Masjid, while debunking a debate on whether he or Narendra Modi would be a better prime ministerial choice.
Firing a fresh salvo at Samajwadi Party, Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma has said that Mulayam Singh Yadav's party will win only four seats in the Lok Sabha polls and there will be a 'funeral procession for the party'.
Congress on Thursday disapproved of Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma's controversial remarks daring the Election Commission to issue a notice to him over his statement on sub-quota for minorities.
Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma, who was ticked off by the Congress after his comments against Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav created a controversy, on Tuesday said he will continue to remain in the party and is not resigning from the Cabinet.
Union minister Beni Prasad Verma on Saturday justified the sub-quota within quota for Muslims saying their condition was even worse than backwards.
'If this had happened anywhere else, Indians would have been desperate to leave. But not in Israel.'
An FIR has been registered against Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma in Balrampur for calling Bharatiya Janata Party prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi the "biggest goonda" of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and party's National President Rajnath Singh his "slave".
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday demanded a high-level inquiry into Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Yadav's allegations of opium smuggling and using charas against Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma. "Shivpal Yadav is a senior (state) cabinet minister and if he has levelled allegations against the union minister, he must have done it responsibly. A high-level inquiry should be conducted into the matter," said state BJP chief spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak.
After Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma, his colleague Sriprakash Jaiswal has earned the wrath of the Samajwadi Party which on Saturday demanded that the prime minister sack him from the Cabinet for levelling allegations of corruption against the Uttar Pradesh government.
The Congress on Saturday maintained silence over Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma's renewed attack on outside ally Samajwadi Party, which is hopeful that he will be removed during a minor Cabinet reshuffle being talked about soon.
Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma, in the line of fire for his controversial remarks against Mulayam Singh Yadav, on Tuesday skipped a key meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party after he was snubbed over it.
Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma has been in news for his statement "inflation helps farmers". He talks about why he stands by his statement and how FDI in retail would set right prices for both agriculturalists and consumers.
Coming under the Election Commission scanner for his remarks on minorities sub-quota, Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma on Monday replied to the poll body notice pleading not guilty to violation of model code of conduct.
Union minister Beni Prasad Verma was on Monday at the centre of a controversy with remarks that he was "happy" over rising prices of food items as it will benefit farmers, evoking a sharp attack from the Bharatiya Janata Party and other parties.
With exit polls predicting a hung assembly in Uttar Pradesh, Beni Prasad Verma, Union Minister and senior Congress leader from the state, on Sunday caused a flutter in the party by favouring a tie-up with Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party, a comment from which the party quickly distanced itself.
Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma was on Tuesday granted personal hearing by the Election Commission to explain his minorities sub-quota remarks for which the poll body slapped a notice and he is likely to appear on Friday.
Ticked off by the Congress leadership, Union minister Beni Prasad Verma on Wednesday regretted his remarks against Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, who demanded his resignation during meetings with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.
Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma found himself in the midst of a fresh controversy over his remarks that Mulayam Singh Yadav allegedly has "terrorist links", with Samajwadi Party members disrupting the Lok Sabha on Monday demanding his removal from the Cabinet.
Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma has kicked up another controversy by stating that nothing was wrong in spending Rs 2 to 4 crores on media as he was only "investing money to get good returns" in terms of publicity.
Taking cognisance of their alleged controversial remarks against Narendra Modi and Azam Khan respectively in election speeches, the Election Commission on Thursday issued show cause notices to Union minister Beni Prasad Verma and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Vinay Katiyar for prima facie violating the Model Code of Conduct.
Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma, a former Samajwadi Party leader, has cautioned the party against taking back Amar Singh in its fold amidst reports of a rapprochement between him and the party.
Union minister for Steel Beni Prasad Verma and his son Rakesh Verma have been reportedly booked for attempt to murder. The complaint was filed against them by Shiv Shankar Shukla, an aspirant for a Congress party ticket for the forthcoming state assembly election from Barabanki, about 35 km from Lucknow.
In a veiled retaliatory attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi for his 'khooni panja' (killer paw) remarks, Congress leader Beni Prasad Verma today said the country has to be saved from a 'khooni insaan' (murderous person).
In comments that can stoke a fresh controversy, Union minister Beni Prasad Verma on Monday said the next Lok Sabha elections will see a direct fight between Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi.
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