Lucknow:Bahujan Samaj Party(BSP) supremo Mayawati on Thursday suspended seven rebel MLAs and announced to initiate process for their disqualification.
These MLAs had openly revolted against the party's official Rajya Sabha candidate Ramji Gautam during scrutiny on Wednesday and had met Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav.
The announcement of their suspension was made by Mayawati on Thursday morning.The suspended BSP MLAs are Aslam Rainee, Aslam Ali, Mutjaba Siddique , Hakim Lal Bind, Hargovind Bhargava, Ms Sushma Patel and Ms Vandana Singh.
The disqualification petition is likely to be moved by the party before the Assembly Speaker today.Earlier on Wednesday, four of the 10 MLAs who had proposed the name of the party's RS candidate withdrew support amid hints that they may switch sides.
The four MLAs were reportedly accompanied by two others when they met the Returning Officer, submitting in writing that their signatures on senior party leader Ramji Gautam's nomination papers were forged.
One of the rebels Sushma Patel admitted that she met Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, while some others in the group of six - a third of BSP's strength in the Assembly - expressed dissatisfaction over the way their own party treated them.
BSP has 17 members in the UP Assembly in the total strength of 403 . But now it will be reduced to 10.
Mayawati vows to defeat SP, supports BJP
Lucknow:A day after seven BSP MLA's rebelled against the party's Rajya Sabha candidate and showed their inclination towards Samajwadi Party, the Bahujan Samaj Party(BSP) president Mayawati has attacked SP and has said that SP has revealed its true 'anti-Dalit face' once again.
The BSP Chief also announced immediate suspension of the seven rebel MLAs and also said that if needed action will be taken against them under anti-defection law if they tried to join some other party.Ms Mayawati also suspended 7 rebel MLAs and initiated disqualification process in the state assembly against them.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday morning, BSP Chief said, "The SP and its people tried to kill me in 1995 but I was saved due to blessings of weaker section, then they even fought and kidnapped BSP MLAs to save their government. Eventually their government came down due to this hooliganism. Even after this unforgettable incident just to defeat communal forces, we decided to ally with them in the 2019 general elections."
"But due to their family infight they incurred losses in elections and after which BSP decided to move on alone. After the alliance in 2019 our party fought Lok Sabha elections with full might, but SP Chief since day one used to say to SC Mishra to ask me to take back the case of 2nd June. We took back the case, but after the results of the elections and the attitude of the SP we regret that we took back the case of 2nd June, We will not be having any kind of alliance with them in future as well," said BSP Chief.
"The SP always had an Anti Dalit attitude and they were keener on taking back the 2nd June case instead of fighting the elections. Yesterday once again they tried to show their face anti Dalit face by conspiring to stop the BSP candidate, they could not get success and hence started alleging that BSP was allying with BJP to win the RS polls," said BSP Chief Mayawati.
Further attacking the SP, BSP Chief said, "I want to reveal to media today that when notification for Rajya Sabha election was issued in UP, Ram Gopal Yadav filed nomination and our national general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra said it looks like SP has fielded just one candidate and hence we should also field our candidate else some big businessmen will indulge in horse trading of our MLAs. SC Mishra had called up AY on the phone before fielding the candidate, but the phone wasn't answered. Then his private secretary was called and he replied that he would be made to talk but it didn't happen."
"Then SC Mishra called up Ram Gopal Yadav and asked him if they wanted to field another candidate, on which Ram Gopal Yadav said that SP will field only one candidate. Then Mishra ji informed him that in such a case BSP will field one of its candidates, else BJP will field their candidate. Then we decided to field Ramji Gautam as our candidate for Rajya Sabha."
"But just like Congress, SP also showed their Anti Dalit mentality and deceived us.
And even after saying that they won't field any candidate they made an independent candidate file nomination on the last day. On the security day they (SP) forced BSP MLAs to give false affidavit that they didn't sign the nomination papers. Ultimately their claim was found false and BSP candidate's nomination was found valid."
"With the help of money power SP tried to break away 7 MLAs. Now upset with the cancellation of nomination of their candidate they are alleging that BSP is hand in glove with BJP."
"Today BSP wants to announce that during the upcoming MLC elections, then BSP will take revenge in the same way that SP tried to betray us. We will with our full force defeat the SP candidate no matter even if our MLAs have to vote BJP or any other candidate," announced BSP Chief.
"I want to tell SP Chief Akhilesh that in the year 2003 when I left the government, the SP tried to break 38 MLAs of the BSP and took them on their side, In 2007 elections they were voted out and BSP came into power, then his father did this wrong thing, now following his footsteps he is doing the same and he will also meet the same fate just like his father," said an angry BSP Chief.
Announcing action in the seven BSL rebel MLAs, Mayawati said, "Not just this the seven MLAs who allegedly supported the SP candidate, and betrayed BSP, they will be punished for working against the party, They all are suspended with immediate effect, also the party post holders are directed that these MLA should not be called in any programme of the party. And also as soon as they join another party their membership will be cancelled under anti defection law."
"In future these 7 MLAs will never be allowed to contest from BSP. People from their own communities will be fielded against them in future and people from their communities will be made aware of their anti-party activities. Muslim community people will get ample representation in BSP in future also. The anti-Dalit face of the SP is now in front of the people. Good that their real face is out in the public ahead of the 2022 state assembly polls. The SP has always betrayed BSP."
Earlier on Wednesday, five BSP MLAs claimed that their signatures were forged on the nomination papers filed by BSP Rajya Sabha candidate Ramji Gautam. Later on, two more MLAs along with these five rebel MLAs went to meet Akhilesh Yadav at SP Headquarters in Lucknow. Rebel BSP MLAs include Aslam Ali, Aslam Rainee, Mujtaba Siddiqui, Hakim Lal Bind, Hargobind Bhargav, Sushma Patel and Vandana Singh.
BJP shows cold shoulder to Mayawati's statement
Lucknow:BSP chief Mayawati's statement that she is ready to align with BJP to defeat Samajwadi Party has failed to enthuse the BJP leadership of Uttar Pradesh as they opined that BSP supremo should first set her house in order rather than start scouting for allies.
"The BSP is shrinking by every passing day. How can she help BJP in defeating Samajwadi Party. Mayawati has a habit of issuing statements. It is her own view and the BJP has nothing to do with it. Earlier she had aligned with SP saying she has joined hands to defeat BJP and now she is saying she will join hands with BJP to defeat SP. Her statements lack seriousness," says a senior BJP leader here on Thursday.
"The BSP had 19 MLAs and Mayawati has suspended seven today. How can she help the BJP with its depleting strength," he asks.
Defection in BSP is not new. Since 1993 when BSP for the first time tasted power it has faced many defections with big names like Swamy Prasad Maurya, Nasimuddin Siddiqui, RK Chaudhry and Brijesh Pathak deserting BSP from time to time. But it was the first time that party MLAs revolted against Mayawati diktat which signifies the weakening of Mayawati's control over the party.
There are reports that many more legislators are ready to desert BSP. SP spokesman Rajendra Chaudhry said around two dozen senior BSP leaders are in touch with Akhilesh Yadav.
One of the BSP MLAs who revolted against Mayawati revealed that initially Leader of BSP Legislature party Lalji Verma, also wanted to join them but later he developed cold feet. "This is the beginning of the end of Mayawati," the lawmakers said. "Muslims have deserted BSP because of her move to side with BJP. The dalits will follow suit," he said.
The speculations about BSP aligning with BJP started when BJP fielded eight candidates for the Rajya Sabha election against 10 vacant seats. Justifying this move, senior BJP leader and party's vice-president Vijay Bahadur Pathak said that people are comparing with last Rajya Sabha elections.
"This comparison is wrong. Last time we had six more legislators and had an alliance with Om Prakash Rajbhar's party. Practically we are short of 10 MLAs this time. We knew we could easily ensure victory of 8 MPs so we fielded only 8 people," he said.(UNI)
