BSP’S Sahibabad MLA sacked for ‘indiscipline’

TEN DAYS after the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) fielded Amarpal Sharma as its candidate from Sahibabad constituency, the party expelled him on grounds of “indiscipline” and indulging in “anti-party activities”.

“MLA Amarpal Sharma did not keep in touch with party workers and residents in the area. Because he does not give them time, there is a lot of resentment among people in the party and in the area. Leave alone giving him a ticket, they feel that he should not be in the party. He has not held party meetings or organised cadre camps. Mostly, he is busy with some private work in Delhi,” read a statement from BSP’S Ghaziabad unit.

Affirming the expulsion of Sharma, Premchand Bharti, BSP’S Ghaziabad president, told The Indian Express, “On grounds of anti-party activities and indiscipline, he has been expelled. The decision has been taken by the party high command. The new candidate for Sahibabad will be announced soon.”

On January 5, the BSP had released its list of candidates for the upcoming Assembly polls in the state. Sharma was one of the four sitting MLAS in the state who had been fielded again by the party. With polling scheduled to take place in the area on February 11, Sharma declined to comment on the issue.

“I have come to know about this only through media persons and the press statement issued by the party’s Ghaziabad president. I am going to meet the party high command tomorrow morning and I will speak on the matter after the meeting,” Sharma said.

Even as Sharma remained tight-lipped on the issue, speculations were rife about Sharma following his mentor Brajesh Pathak to the BJP. A former twotime MP from Unnao, Pathak had been expelled from the BSP in August last year.