In Amethi, a Palace Feud With a Political Fallout

Amethi: Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, the high-profile constituency of Rahul Gandhi, is at the centre of a bitter royal family feud that could have political implications.

A fight between former Amethi ruler Sanjay Singh - a Congress Rajya Sabha member - and his estranged son Anant Vikram, over the family's 450-year-old palace Bhupati Bhawan, turned into a public showdown on Sunday.

Anant Vikram, in his forties, is Mr Singh's son by his first marriage to Garima Singh; he is now married to Ameeta Singh. In July, Anant moved into the palace with his mother, staking claim to a share in the sprawling property.

Things took a violent turn yesterday when villagers believed to be supporting Anant Vikram gathered outside the palace to protest Sanjay and Ameeta Singh's arrival and later clashed with the police. One policeman died and at least 15 were injured in the violence. The police have filed an FIR naming Anant Vikram for allegedly instigating the crowd.

Anant Vikram accused his father, "The whole incident was orchestrated by people who wanted to get into the palace, namely Ameeta Modi and my father."

At the heart of the battle, locals say, is the fight for the political legacy of Amethi, which has till now been dominated by Sanjay and Ameeta Singh at the local level, both of whom have contested from here in the past.

While Garima Singh has been seeking right to a share in the palace for her three children, Anant Vikram didn't rule out a political stint saying he would like to serve the people of Amethi like his forefathers.

At a separate press conference, his father countered, "Political legacy is not a transferable cheque that can be handed over to anyone. He has to go to the public for that." Mr Singh also accused his son and former wife of criminal trespass into his ancestral property.