SP MLA detained in Delhi

Kishore Samrite, SP MLA from Madhya Pradesh who threatened to commit self-immolation demanding separate Vidharbha state, has been taken into custody.

Kishore Samrite, the maverick Samajwadi Party MLA from Madhya Pradesh who threatened to commit self-immolation demanding separate Vidharbha state, was on Friday taken into custody on his way to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's official residence in New Delhi.

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Samrite, who had earlier threatened to commit self- immolation in front of Singh's residence on Independence Day if his demand for statehood for Vidharbha was not met, was intercepted by police on his way to Race Course Road residence of the Prime Minister at around 11:30 am, a senior police official said.

The MLA, representing Langi constituency, had also demanded merging of four districts of MP into Vidarbha.

"I want four districts of MP - Balaghat, Seoni, Chhindwara and Betul to be merged in Vidharbha because majority of people in these districts speak Marathi and follow Maharashtrian culture," he told PTI.

The official said Samrite was released after questioning and denied the MLA's claim that he was carrying petrol.

Samrite is known for indulging in publicity stunts and had been externed from Balaghat district twice before being elected MLA last year.

The MLA had invited criticism from the animal right groups for sacrificing goats that he said was for offering thanks to the Goddess for the UPA government's victory in the trust motion.

Earlier this year, he created waves in MP politics after he alleged that the Congress had given him money to vote for an Independent candidate in Rajya Sabha elections.