'Loot' in mining during BSP & SP regimes: Shivpal

Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) chief Shivpal Yadav on Wednesday alleged that there was loot in mining during the previous BSP and SP regimes, describing the CBI action in the alleged mining scam in Uttar Pradesh as a "late step" by the BJP.

Shivpal Yadav's comments come days after it emerged that former chief minister and his nephew, Akhilesh Yadav, might be quizzed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the mining issue.

During the Bahujan Samaj Party regime from 2007-12 and the Samajwadi rule between 2012-17, there was a "loot" in mining due to which people had to face price rise, Shivpal Yadav said at a press conference here.

"The BJP is late in taking a CBI action against it," he said. "I was myself the mining minister between 2004-07, but there was no allegation against me."
On his party's alliance with the Congress, Shivpal Yadav said, "My party is ready for alliance with any party if it gets a respectable number of seats. Our doors are open."
On meeting with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav again if he so offers, Shivpal Yadav parried a direct reply, saying, "Whatever disrespect I had to face... I have faced. But, for defeating the BJP, we are ready for alliance with secular parties."