E-Paper
BSP expels former UP MLA Imran Masood after he praises Rahul Gandhi
Imran Masood on Sunday said that Rahul Gandhi can understand the problems of even ordinary party workers and it was good to have worked with him
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Tuesday expelled former Uttar Pradesh MLA Imran Masood for indiscipline and anti-party activities.
The action was taken against Masood after he praised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, triggering speculation that he may rejoin the Congress before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. “It was good to have worked with Rahul Gandhi. He can understand the problems of even ordinary party workers,” Masood had told media persons on Sunday.
In a press statement, BSP Saharanpur district unit president Janeshwar Prasad said, after reports that Masood was indulged in indiscipline and anti-party activities, a probe was ordered by the party state unit. On the basis of the report, Masood has been shown the door. The party leadership had earlier warned Masood, but there was no change in his working style, he said.
Masood, an influential Muslim leader from Saharanpur district in western Uttar Pradesh, joined the BSP after the 2022 assembly election. Before the 2022 assembly election, Masood had defected from the Congress to the Samajwadi Party (SP) while his brother Noman Masood joined the BSP. BSP chief Mayawati had appointed Imran Masood as the coordinator of the West UP, entrusting him the task to motivate the Muslim community to support the BSP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Janeshwar Prasad said, Imran Masood was handed membership book to launch membership drive in West UP, but he remained inactive. His wife Saima Masood contested mayor election from Saharanpur Municipal Corporation on a BSP ticket but was defeated by the BJP candidate. The party had made it clear to Masood that if his wife loses mayor election, he will not get a Lok Sabha election ticket. But he was putting pressure on the party to declare him as the Lok Sabha candidate from Saharanpur seat, he said.
Haji Fazlur Rehman had won the Saharanpur Lok Sabha seat in 2019 on a BSP ticket, defeating BJP candidate Raghav Lakhanpal.
When contacted, Masood said, “I committed a mistake by deserting the Congress before the 2022 assembly elections. Under pressure from my supporters, I left the Congress. Even after leaving the Congress. I have a good relationship with Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra. I respect both the leaders. I was not invited to the party (BSP) meeting held under the chairmanship of Mayawati in Lucknow on August 23.”
