Sanjay Dutt appointed Samajwadi Party gen secy

Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, denied permission to contest elections by the Supreme Court, was on Thursday appointed as the national general secretary of Samajwadi Party.

"Our leader Mulayam Singh Yadav has appointed him (Sanjay) as the national general secretary," SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav told media persons in New Delhi.

He said Sanjay will campaign for SP candidates in the Lok Sabha elections.

Dutt, who was also present at the party's central office in New Delhi, said "I would work for the party with utmost dedication. I am very happy."

The actor, who was the SP candidate for the prestigious Lucknow Lok Sabha seat, was denied permission to contest polls by the Supreme Court which refused to stay his conviction in connection with the 1993 Mumbai blasts case.

The SP is yet to decide on a fresh candidate for the Lucknow seat, which is at present represented by BJP leader and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Recently, Mulayam Singh had appointed former BJP leader Kalyan Singh's son Rajveer as the national general secretary of the party.