30 BSP members from Allahabad, Kaushambi quit

A day after Mayawati ousted senior Dalit leader and former minister Indrajeet Saroj from BSP, 30 party members from Allahabad and Kaushambi resigned.

A DAY after Mayawati ousted senior Dalit leader and former minister Indrajeet Saroj from BSP, 30 party members from Allahabad and Kaushambi resigned. They included former BSP minister Hiramani Patel and former MLA from Chail in Kaushambi, Asif Jafri. Saroj had accused party chief Mayawati of demanding money from each of her Assembly poll candidate.

Speaking to media on Friday, Jafri said: “We are against the way Saroj was shunted out … we are against several policy decisions that Mayawati is taking. So, we have resigned.” Others who resigned on Friday included former candidates, zilla presidents and party incharges. Sources said Mayawati is likely to contest the Lok Sabha bypoll from Phulpur in Allahabad after Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya vacates his seat to join the UP Assembly.

Incharge for BSP Allahabad division, Ashok Gautam, said: “We neither have anything lose nor anything to gain by the resignations because they held no post in the party. It is a political stunt.”