NEW DELHI: Cracks within the Congress-Samajwadi Party’s short-lived political “friendship” surfaced yesterday with SP General Secretary Amar Singh expressing disappointment with Congress leaders.

Displaying dissatisfaction with Congress adopting a rigid attitude on seat sharing with SP in Lok Sabha elections in two states of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, Singh blamed the party for having “betrayed” SP’s trust. He also accused several Congress leaders of indulging in his “character assassination.”

“I am disappointed that Congress legislator Rashid Alvi attacked me (verbally). I am hurt,” Singh said at a press conference. Alvi joined Congress camp in 2004 after being expelled from Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

Objecting to Congress insisting on fielding SP-rebels from UP, Singh said: “I object to the way in which Raj Babbar and Beni Prasad Verma’s names are cropping up.” Both are SP rebels, the Congress is keen on supporting for Lok Sabha elections.

“Both the rebel legislators have not yet apologized for the manner in which they deserted the party,” Singh said. If the Congress sticks to its stand on supporting them in UP, Singh said: “The SP will put up candidates against both Beni and Babbar in the Lok Sabha elections.”

Singh is leading the seat-sharing talks with a Congress team headed by Rahul Gandhi. The two sides have so far failed to reach any consensus in their talks. Accusing several leaders of trying to frame him in the infamous cash-for-vote scam for the July 22 parliamentary vote on the Indo-US nuclear deal, Singh said: “Congress is indulging in character assassination.”

Conveying regret on the SP having decided to help Congress-led United Progress Alliance (UPA) in power by supporting it on July 22, after the left bloc had withdrawn their support, “What has happened so far is worse than a honey trap,” Singh said.

“Despite SP having supported UPA to pass the nuclear deal and during the trust vote, the Congress is not doing enough,” Singh said. He also accused the Congress of nudging defection in SP’s state units in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.