Danish Ali back as leader of BSP parliamentary party

Mayawati had removed Ali as the group leader in the Lower House after he had deviated from the party-line on the Centre’s decision to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution. While BSP leader Satish Misra had supported the Government in the Rajya Sabha, Ali was reluctant to do so in the Lok Sabha. He, according to sources, argued within party circles, that the BSP should demand that the issue be discussed within the state assembly before being taken up by the Centre. The BSP decided not to to field him during the discussion. Ali had also opposed the Triple Talaq Bill.

Mayawati had replaced Ali with Shyam Singh Yadav, elected from the Jaunpur constituency.

Meanwhile, Mayawati held a meeting with party leaders in Lucknow to review the drubbing and stressed the need for expanding its support base with the 2022 state polls in mind. Accusing the BJP and the SP of working together to dent the morale of BSP, Mayawati said, “There has been a tacit understanding between the BJP and the SP to weaken the confidence of the BSP ahead of the UP Assembly elections. Both these parties secretly shook hands and did not allow the BSP to win a single seat in the bypolls.”

—WITH PTI, Lucknow