Bahujan Samaj Party Member of Parliament from Hamirpur, Vijay Bahadur Singh, had to pay the price for praising Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday as he was expelled from the party for six years with immediate effect.
BSP national president Mayawati ordered expulsion of Singh for anti-party activities. Earlier, Mayawati had put the Minister on notice and had asked him to mend his ways. Speculation is rife that the expelled BSP MP’s might eventually join the BJP. As reported earlier, the BJP was already in touch with at least three upper caste MPs of Uttar Pradesh, including those from the Congress, BSP and the SP. These MPs are expected to join the BJP closer to the election.
Vijay Bahadur Singh had openly supported Narendra Modi on his "puppy" remarks and had said that the Gujarat Chief Minister's comments were blown out of proportion. This statement had irked the BSP leadership. In a statement issued here on Wednesday, the party spokesman said that the MP was expelled after he continued to indulge in anti-party activities.
On Sunday last, Mayawati had issued the last warning to Singh through the media but the MP continued his anti-party activities, the statement issued by the party said. Mayawati had also said that the statement of the MP was his personal view and the party did not subscribe to his philosophy. The BSP leadership had already refused to renominate Singh for the coming lok Sabha elections from Hamirpur seat.
The statement from the party said despite repeated warnings, Singh continued to make statements which were not in sync with party lines, therefore, he was being expelled. A senior party leader said lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar has been informed about the party's decision to expel Singh. Singh, who is a first time MP from the BSP, has been denied ticket for the next lok Sabha elections.
Angry at Singh's defence of Modi for his "puppy" remarks, BSP chief Mayawati had slammed him and had distanced herself from the statement. While terming his remarks as personal, she had recently said that the party has taken seriously Singh's “disease” of making public statements. On Saturday last, Singh had defended Modi for his 2002 riots comments saying it showed that the Gujarat Chief Minister was a “sensitive” person and his comments have been misinterpreted.
“If he says that he feels bad if a puppy gets crushed under the wheels of his car, then it shows that he is a sensitive and compassionate person. These are my personal views, but his remarks should not be misinterpreted. He is not referring to any community...his remarks are being misinterpreted," Singh had said.
The BSP MP said the Modi’s statement is “100 per cent correct and it is in the interest of the nation. Those who oppose him are doing so for political interests. Those who oppose his remarks are “rashtra drohis”.