BSP supremo Mayawati, on Thursday, 29 October, announced the suspension of seven party MLAs with immediate effect.
The seven legislators are: Chaudhary Aslam Ali, Hargovind Bhargava, Mohd Mustafa Siddiqui, Hakim Lal Bind, Mohd Aslam Raini , Sushma Patel, and Vandana Singh.
They had, according to PTI, opposed the nomination of Ramji Gautam as BSP’s official candidate for election to a vacant Rajya Sabha seat.
Six party MLAs also reportedly met Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday, giving subtle indications of a possibility of switching sides, reported PTI.
Four rebel MLAs, according to PTI, had further filed an affidavit alleging that their signatures to the party’s nomination of Gautam had been forged. However, the Returning Officer still accepted Gautam’s nomination.
‘Will Not Join Another Party’: Suspended MLAs
The suspended MLAs have claimed that they will not be joining another party, according to PTI.
Aslam Raini, one of the suspended MLAs, reportedly said:
“It is the prerogative of the party president to take whatever action she feels is right but we are not joining any other party.”
Hakim Lal Bind, on his part, denied meeting Akhilesh Yadav, and said: "She is our leader and her decision is acceptable and welcomed . We have been suspended and not expelled. We are MLAs for 15 more months . Whom we have to meet -- Mayawati, the BJP or the Samajwadi Party -- only time will tell."
Bind also said that they opposed the nomination through the affidavit because they had not signed the nomination papers.
Suspended MLA Sushma Patel, on her part, according to PTI, accepted meeting Yadav and said:
“I have not violated any whip nor cross voted. I have no plans to join any party.“
(With inputs from PTI.)
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