Having taken over as the new general secretary of the Samajwadi Party, Kiranmoy Nanda has hired the five-star Park Hotel to hold the three-day national executive meet of the party that begins on May 21. Arrangements for the stay of 72 delegates have also been made at the hotel itself.

Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav will be present during through the three-day meet, which is being held here after 11 years.

The minimum tariff of a single room in the hotel is Rs 12,000.

Asked why this extravaganza when leaders of a national party like the BJP stayed in tents during its recent National Council meet in Indore, Nanda, who is West Bengal Minister for Fisheries, said: “We are a poor political party. But we have lots of well-wishers who will sponsor this programme. There will be other donations also.”

The party will have an open conference at Netaji Indoor Stadium on May 21, which will be addressed by, among others Mulayam and his son Akhilesh.

With Nanda joining the SP, West Bengal becomes the second state after Uttar Pradesh where the party has a minister and a few MLAs. Apart from Nanda, the party has three other MLAs.