BSP suspends MP Danish Ali for 'anti-party' activities

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) took disciplinary action on Saturday by suspending its Member of Parliament, Danish Ali, for alleged involvement in anti-party activities. Representing the Amroha Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh since 2019, Ali faced suspension after repeated warnings from the party regarding his actions.

BSP's national general secretary, Satish Chandra Misra, issued a statement outlining the party's stance. According to the statement, Ali had been cautioned multiple times not to engage in anti-party activities. The party accused Ali of neglecting promises made after contesting and winning from Amroha, despite being given the ticket due to the insistence of HD Deve Gowda from the Janata Dal (Secular) party.

"In 2018, you were working with HD Deve Gowda of the Janata Dal (Secular) party. At that time, both the BSP and JD(S) were contesting together in the Karnataka assembly election. After the Karnataka election, you were given a ticket from Amroha and asked to contest from there due to Deve Gowda's insistence," the BSP statement asserted.

The party claimed that despite Ali's victory in Amroha, he had forgotten the commitments made and engaged in activities against the party's interests, leading to his immediate suspension.

"Deve Gowda had even said that you would be contesting the Amroha Lok Sabha seat on the grounds that you will be working for the BSP. However, despite winning from Amroha, you have forgotten all the promises and assurances you made and indulged in anti-party activities. The party has decided to suspend you with immediate effect," the party added.

Sources suggest that Ali's suspension was prompted by his purported support for the Congress in Parliament, a move that did not align with BSP's directives. The Congress had also backed Ali amid the issues he faced, contributing to the strained relations with the Mayawati-led party.

In a recent parliamentary session, Ali joined the Opposition in criticising the expulsion of Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra. He voiced his concerns, stating that the government's significant majority should not be used to suppress the opposition.

"When filthy questions were being asked by the ethics committee and we questioned that, they started making allegations against our conduct. What is happening? If you have a brute majority, that does not mean you will throttle the opposition and expel MPs from the opposition parties," he said.

The BSP, under the leadership of Mayawati, does not align with either the ruling BJP-led NDA or the Opposition INDIA bloc.

Notably, Ali gained attention in September when BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri made derogatory remarks against him during a discussion on the Chandrayaan-3 mission. The incident sparked controversy, with Ali and the Opposition demanding strict action against Bidhuri.

In a recent development, both Bidhuri and Ali appeared separately before the Lok Sabha Privileges Committee. Bidhuri expressed regret for his objectionable remarks, contributing to the resolution of the matter.

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