Amar Singh asked me to return to Congress: Sanjay Dutt

Defending his parting of ways with old friend Amar Singh, Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt today claimed that his "return" to Congress came after "advice" to this effect from the expelled Samajwadi Party leader himself.

"It was Amar Singh himself who gave me the advice that I should return to the Congress. He reminded me that owing to my family's long association with the party, the Congress to me is like blood flowing in my veins", Dutt told reporters here.

The 53-year-old actor, who had arrived here yesterday to campaign for the Congress, said "I was livid over the way Amar Singh was insulted by the Samajwadi Party.

After all he had done so much to help the party reach where it is today. That is why when he was shown the door, I too quit the party.  "Later, when we are discussing our future strategy, Singh suggested that I should return to the Congress".

Singh, who had played a key role in ensuring Samajwadi Party's support to the UPA government at the Centre in 2008 which had helped the ruling coalition survive a crucial trust vote in the Parliament, has floated his own political outfit "Rashtriya Lok Manch" which is taking part in the UP assembly elections.

Dutt had joined the Samajwadi Party shortly before the 2009 Lok Sabha elections and, with the backing of Amar Singh, was straight-away made the party's national general secretary.

The party had also mulled fielding him from the Lucknow Lok Sabha constituency, but had to withdraw the decision as Dutt's conviction in an Arms' Act case ran the risk of his being disqualified from contesting the polls.

The actor's father Sunil Dutt, who was himself a veteran actor and film-maker, remained associated with the Congress till his death in 2005 and even served as a minister in the Union Cabinet for a brief period.

Dutt's sister Priya is also a Congress MP.