BSP sacks 2 MLAs, including legislative party leader Lalji Verma, for anti-party activities

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Thursday sacked its legislative party leader in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Lalji Verma and another legislator Ram Achal Rajbhar for anti-party activities during the recently concluded panchayat polls.

Shah Alam, the BSP MLA from the Mubarakpur seat in Azamgarh district has been appointed as the legislative party leader.

The BSP said the two sacked leaders will not be invited to any party programmes and they will also not be given poll tickets. However, Verma, the MLA from Katehari and Rajbhar from Akbarpur, both in Ambedkar Nagar district, expressed their strong desire to stay in the party.

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In a statement issued here, the Mayawati-led party said, "Two MLAs -- Lalji Verma and Ram Achal Rajbhar -- have been sacked from the party for anti-party activities during panchayat polls."

"Verma has been removed from the post of leader of the legislative party and Shah Alam alias Guddu Jamali will replace him in the Assembly as the legislative party leader," it said.

The move has taken BSP leaders and workers by surprise.

"Only Behenji (Mayawati) knows the reason behind this decision. Both these (MLAs) were among the senior-most leaders of the party who had stood by it all along," a senior party functionary said on the condition of anonymity.

"There has to be some major reason for this decision at the time when Assembly elections are near. The two leaders had been the strength of the party and stood with Mayawati all along in the party's struggles and had also been ministers. There are very few leaders of their stature left in the party now," he said.

Despite being expelled, Verma hoped that he will be given an audience with the BSP president and an opportunity to explain his viewpoint.

"I was in the hospital during the panchayat elections and could not actively take part. Behenji inquired about my health thrice. There was nothing wrong," he told PTI.

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"I came to know of this action only now. I was not allowed to explain my viewpoint. It appears that since I was out of action because of my health, some people got a chance to give wrong inputs to the party president leading to this action," he said.

Verma, however, asserted that has no plans to join any other party.

Asked about his future plans and rumours about his joining another party, he said "I want to remain in the BSP."

"The party has performed well in the panchayat elections in my district. I had never imagined that such a thing can happen to me. I will try to meet the party president through the mediation of party leaders," Verma said.

Rajbhar said that he does not know the reason that led to the BSP expelling him.

"I am dedicated to the party and will remain a party soldier. It is my resolve to continue working for it and ensure that Behenji becomes chief minister once again," he stressed.