LUCKNOW, July 30 -- Amid rising tension over the privatisation push in Uttar Pradesh's power sector, two employee unions have backed state energy minister AK Sharma and accused the Vidyut Karmachari Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti of launching a politically motivated agitation to harm the minister's image and benefit certain senior leaders.

In two back-to-back press releases, one on Monday and the second on Tuesday, the unions termed the ongoing protest a "pre-planned political conspiracy" and distanced themselves from it.

Notably, the statements were released by the minister's office and not directly by the unions.

The Sangharsh Samiti, however, rejected the allegations. Its leader, Shailendra Dubey, said the protest against privatisation wa...