Dutt quits SP post for 'brother' Amar Singh

Mumbai/ New Delhi: Film actor Sanjay Dutt on Saturday night announced he was resigning as general secretary of the Samjawadi Party, saying he was hurt by how the party had treated his mentor Amar Singh.

"When the Supreme Court did not give me a chance to contest Lok Sabha elections, Amar Singh made me the general secretary of the party. He had said both of us will work for the party from the same position," said Dutt at a press conference at his Bandra residence in Mumbai.

"If he is no more the general secretary, I am also quitting the post today," said Dutt.

Dutt said he was "saddened" at the way Singh, who had campaigned for the party in the April-May 2009 general elections in “ill health”, had been treated by the party.

"Amar Singh was hurt by many people in the party. I am also feeling hurt that he was hurt. If he is not the national general secretary, I will also not be in the same post."

Dutt ruled out resigning from the party "for the time being". Asked if he would join another party, he said: "I have been made by Amar Singh and I will do what he does.”

Dutt said he was hurt by the statement of senior party leader Ram Gopal Yadav, brother of SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav, that SP didn’t do well in Uttar Pradesh during the Lok Sabha elections though film stars had campaigned for the party.

"We (actors) are touchy people--I feel hurt. I had slogged in UP polls but there is no recognition for this in the party. I am happy that I am quitting the post," he said.

Dutt said he respected Mulayam Singh Yadav and would continue to work as a "dedicated" worker.

Asked if he had informed Amar Singh before quitting from the post, he said: "I have told him that I will do this. But he advised me against resigning."

Dutt was appointed as SP general secretary in April last year and had extensively campaigned for the party during the Lok Sabha elections.

Sources tell CNN-IBN Rajya Sabha MP Jaya Bachchan, Lok Sabha member Jaya Prada and Bhojpuri actor Manoj Tiwari too are likely to leave the party.

(With inputs from PTI and IANS)