Soon after BSP offered support to Congress in MP, SP chief Akhilesh made a similar offer
New Delhi, Dec 12: In a shot in the arm for the Congress, the Samajwadi Party Wednesday announced its support to Rahul Gandhi's party to form government in Madhya Pradesh.
The announcement by SP chief Akhilesh Yadav came less than an hour after Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati made a similar offer to the Congress for government formation in the Hindi heartland state of Madhya Pradesh.
"The SP supports the Congress to form government in MP," Yadav tweeted in Hindi.
The Congress, which was locked in a tantalising see-saw battle with the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, has emerged as the single-largest party with 114 seats after the vote count ended on Wednesday morning, according to the State Election Commission Office.
The party is, however, two short of the simple majority mark, 116 seats, in the 230-member Assembly. The BJP was close behind with 109 seats.
The Bahujan Samaj Party won two seats and the Samajwadi Party one. Independents bagged four seats.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Retired Army man killed in Kota; wife, aide held
Kota (Raj) (PTI): A 45-year-old retired Army man was allegedly strangled to death in Kota city in a conspiracy hatched by his wife with her lover and his friend, police said on Saturday.
The incident took place in the Avani Road area under the RK Puram police station limits on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday.
The deceased, identified as Manoj Kumar Sharma, a native of Kishangarh in Ajmer, had been living with his family in Kota for several years. He worked as a clerk in the Ajmer electricity department after retiring from the Indian Army five years ago.
The police said the accused were preparing to perform the last rites on Friday morning without informing Sharma's parents, who live in Kishangarh. However, the neighbours grew suspicious and informed them. The parents reached Kota on Friday afternoon, stopped the cremation and lodged a complaint against the deceased's wife, Deepika (40), her lover Devesh and his friend Vishnu.
The police found strangulation marks on the body, indicating foul play, Circle Inspector of the local police station Sidharth Shrivastav told reporters on Saturday.
During the initial inquiry, it was revealed that Deepika was in a relationship with Devesh, a resident of the Khedli Phatak area in the city, who frequently visited her house in the absence of her husband.
On Thursday night, Sharma, Devesh and his friend Vishnu allegedly consumed liquor, during which a scuffle broke out between Sharma and Devesh. Devesh, along with Vishnu, allegedly strangled Sharma to death in Deepika's presence, the CI said.
The couple's children -- daughter (12) and son (14) -- were sent to bed in an upper-storey room at the time of the incident, ASI Brijraj Singh said.
On the complaint of Sharma's father, the police registered a case of murder and criminal conspiracy against the three accused. Two accused have been arrested, while Devesh is absconding, the CI said, adding that two police teams have been formed to trace and arrest him.
Family members of the deceased said relations between Sharma and Deepika had been strained for several years and alleged she frequently assaulted him.
