Artist - MP Jaya Prada and Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh has come under sharp criticism from the Opposition parties, on Jaya being offered Rs 35 lakh for her performance in Lucknow Mahotsava.

Opposition thinks that it is a move to appease the party leader. “It was nothing but an attempt to the please party leader using a cultural programme an excuse,” BJP state unit president Kesari Nath Tripahti said.

Adding fire to the controversy, Congress legislature party leader Pramod Tewari said while Jayaprada was paid hefty amount, singer Padmabhushan Pandit Jasraj, who also performed on the same stage was handed over a meagre Rs 3.5 lakh.

Jaya Prada is taking this criticism to a different level, saying that it is a plot against her by Opposition, to let down her image in front of public. She went this far to say that the she is the similar target as Amitabh Bachchan, who was not invited to IFFI in Goa recently due to his friendship to Amar Singh - leader to Samajwadi Party.

To clarify the matter she said, “The claims are all wrong. The government paid a very small part of the money, which I received. It is with the help and support from Sahara that I performed there.”