BSP expels 2 Dalit leaders, one says ‘refused Maya money’

Gautam refuted Saroj’s claim that Mayawati had demanded money from him, saying that all those who leave BSP level the same allegation. He said Saroj had already told the party that he will not contest elections in the future.
Rajya Sabha MP Munquad Ali, also the coordinator for Allahabad division, said that the party had neither issued a statement, nor had any of its leaders made a statement about Saroj’s expulsion. “But if he is himself saying that he has been expelled, then it shows his mentality,” he said.

Saroj won four Assembly elections as a BSP nominee, but lost to BJP’s Lal Bahadur on Manjhanpur seat of Kaushambi district in the one held earlier this year. He was minister in the previous Mayawati-led governments of 2002 and 2007. He had also served as party coordinator for Lucknow, Allahabad and Varanasi divisions.
In the afternoon, the party had also released a statement that former MLA from Mohan seat of Unnao, Radhelal Rawat, had been expelled for indulging in “indiscipline” and “anti-party activities”.

Rawat and Saroj both belong to the Pasi sub-caste, the second largest Dalit sub-caste in the state after Jatavs. Saroj was the most prominent Pasi face of the BSP. His departure is likely to create more hurdles in the party’s attempts to reach out to non-Jatav castes. Jatavs are considered the traditional supporters of the party.

Last month, Jaiveer Singh, who was the party’s Thakur leader, had jumped ship to BJP. A few months back, Naseemuddin Siddiqui, who was regarded as the party’s Muslim face, was expelled from the party. He too had alleged that Mayawati had demanded money from him.