New Delhi: Accusing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of conniving with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to "foil" its rally in Lucknow on May 12, Samajwadi Party (SP) on May 10 apprehended that there was a conspiracy to lodge false cases against senior SP leaders and arrest them.

"A conspiracy is being hatched to arrest SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and other senior leaders by lodging false cases against them. BJP is hand-in-glove with BSP and the two parties are jointly conspiring to foil our May 12 rally," SP spokesman Amar Singh said.

He said since BJP was no longer in a position to take on SP alone, it was colluding with BSP in Uttar Pradesh to "terrorise" Samajwadi Party workers.

Singh said the May 12 rally would mark the conclusion of Samajwadi Party's series of protest rallies in the state against the "misrule" of Mayawati government.

Claiming that at least 10,000 party workers had been arrested in the state ahead of the rally, he said a senior MP and former Union Minister Salim Sherwani had been threatened by some policemen who allegedly warned him not to participate in the rally.

Besides, vehicles belonging to SP leaders were being seized by the administration to prevent free movement of party workers, he alleged.

To a question, he said the stand of Congress towards his party in Uttar Pradesh was "very positive".

Asked about the proposed National Judicial Commission Bill, he said Samajwadi Party was opposed to the concept of appointment and transfer of judges through such a commission.

PTI