BSP expels senior leader over graft
Lucknow: The BSP expelled one of its seniormost leaders in Naseemuddin Siddiqui, as well as his son Afzal Siddiqui, from the party for a period of six years. The action against them came as the party accused Mr Siddiqui of corruption.
Bahujan Samaj Party on Wednesday felled its senior most leader, Naseemuddin Siddiqui, when party supremo Mayawati expelled him and his son Afzal Siddiqui from the party for a period of six years.
Naseemuddin Siddiqui, one of the most trusted lieutenants of the BSP president and also the Muslim face of the party, has been charged with indiscipline.
Within hours of Mr Siddiqui’s expulsion, a number of BSP leaders also put in their papers. They include former MLA and party state secretary Irshad Khan, Dr Kitbatullah (Basti), former MLC Pradeep Singh and several district level leaders.
Ms Mayawati later convened a meeting of around 250 senior leaders of the party and explained the prevailing situation to them.
Mr Siddiqui issued a press statement saying he was not in Lucknow and would soon hold a press conference to expose the truth. “I have given 35 years to the party and this is what I get in return,” he said in the statement.
Announcing his expulsion, BSP general secretary Satish Chandra Misra said that Mr Siddiqui had made considerable ‘benami’ property in western UP, which included slaughter houses.
Mr Misra added that Mr Siddiqui had cut deals with a lot of rich individuals privately, and had sought favours from them, promising to return them as soon as the BSP formed government in UP. “He was also found guilty of forcibly taking money from party workers and had allegedly taken money while giving tickets to undeserving people which led to the party’s losses in the Assembly elections,” Mr Misra said at a press conference here on Wednesday. “The party had earlier given him the charge of Madhya Pradesh but he did not take any interest in his assignment, which amounts to indiscipline,” he stated.
Mr Misra said when the party chief called Mr Siddiqui to seek his clarification, he did not take her calls.