BSP suspends Danish Ali for 'anti-party activities'; MP denies allegations

New Delhi: BSP MP Danish Ali was on Saturday suspended from the party for making statements “against the ideology and policies” of the Mayawati-led party, amid signals that he is cosying up to the I.N.D.I.A bloc ahead of Lok Sabha elections.

Ali, the 48-year-old MP from Amroha in Uttar Pradesh, has a troubled relationship with the BSP and had been removed as its floor leader in Lok Sabha twice in the past four and half years. There has been speculation that BSP will not renominate him.

The letter to Ali has not mentioned any specific action that constituted “anti-party” activities but BSP has been uneasy about Ali’s acceptance among Opposition parties. His stand opposing the triple talaq bill and abrogation of Article 370 were also in variance with the party.

In recent times, he has been in the limelight following the controversy over BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri making communal remarks against him and his opposition to the expulsion of Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra from the Lok Sabha.

A defiant Ali, a former JD(S) leader with close links with HD Deve Gowda, said he would continue to raise his voice against the BJP government and the “loot” of public wealth by a few capitalists but would remain “always be grateful” to Mayawati who helped him become a Lok Sabha MP and also appointed him floor leader.

Calling Mayawati’s decision “unfortunate”, he said he had “diligently tried” to strengthen the BSP and has “never done any anti-party activity”.

In a letter to Ali, BSP National General Secretary Satish Chandra Mishra recalled that the Amroha seat was allocated to Ali on the request of Gowda, who had promised that the former will join the BSP and follow the party's ideology and policies.

However, Mishra said, Ali did not honour the promises. “Now in the interest of the party, you are immediately suspended from the party," Mishra’s letter read.

While acknowledging that Ali was instrumental in the formation of the JD(S)-BSP alliance in Karnataka in 2018 as a JD(S) member, Mishra said the BSP MP had earlier been told not to make any statement that is in variance with the ideology and policies of the party but he continued to do so despite multiple warnings.

Ali has been warming up more to the Opposition bloc, which was not appreciated by the BSP leadership. Mayawati has been keeping a distance from the I.N.D.I.A bloc and the BSP is not coordinating with the Opposition on floor strategy in Parliament for the past several months.

Ali also got a lot of support from the Opposition when Bidhuri made communal remarks against him with Rahul Gandhi visiting the BSP MP at his home in a show of solidarity. On Friday, Ali was also present with Mahua and other Opposition MPs, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul, when she spoke outside the Parliament after her expulsion.

There has been speculations about BSP not repeating him in Amroha and Ali seeking support of parties like the Congress and Samajwadi Party.

Ali said, “the people of my Amroha area are witness to this. I have definitely opposed the anti-people policies of the BJP government and will continue to do so.” He had raised his voice against the “loot” of public wealth by a few capitalists, he said.

“If doing this is a crime, then I have committed this crime, and I am ready to face the punishment for it. I want to assure the people of Amroha that I will always be at your service,” he added.