In a severe indictment of politicians of the state, Lucknow University Vice Chancellor R P Singh has charged them with 'nurturing and patronising' students with criminal backgrounds.

"The parties keep students with criminal history for using them as musclemen and capture booths during the elections," Singh told PTI on Thursday.

Singh, who declared indefinite closure of the varsity last week citing his inability to control lawlessness on the campus owing to non-cooperation of the administration, alleged that 'the Samajwadi Party tops the list of parties patronising such students'.

Singh had, on Wednesday, suspended 83 student leaders, mostly belonging to SP and with alleged criminal background and barred their entry into the campus.

He said the politicians in the state did not have any vision for higher education, which had seen drastic decline in quality and standard in the recent years.

"The student leaders do everything except study. They bag contracts of construction works in the campus and take payment without doing the work, they also take money for getting boys admitted and passed in the examinations by coercing teachers and staff," the vice-chancellor alleged.

A renowned metallurgy scientist and a former IIT professor, Singh alleged that these student leaders enjoyed support of political parties and owned luxury cars to maintain a lavish life style.

"Where do they get the money from," he asked alleging, that they had the latest weapons. "These student leaders are heavily armed."