Five BSP Law Makers Raise Banner Of Revolt, Withdraw As Proposers Of RS Candidate Ramji Gautam

LUCKNOW || In a surprise political development the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) was rocked by a revolt on Wednesday as five of its legislators red flagged the candidature of party's official candidate Ramji Gautam. Interestingly, all the five rebel BSP lawmakers, were in the ten MLA's who proposed the name of Gautam when he field his nomination papers for the biennial Rajya Sabha polls.

The five MLAs Aslam Chaudhary, Aslam Rainey, Mujtaba Siddiqui, Hakam Lal Bind, Govind Jatav reached the assembly and applied. Nomination papers are to be scrutinized on Wednesday.

When contacted, BSP Legislature Party leader Lal Ji Verma said that all the MLAs were present at the time of nomination. They do not have the right to withdraw their names. Evidence has been provided in this regard.

General Secretary Satish Mishra also reached the assembly to present the party's side on behalf of the BSP. He said that there is no provision in the rules for a proposer to withdraw his name. If this happens, no election can be held.

The Uttar Pradesh Assembly currently has 395 members, while eight seats are vacant. The BJP currently has 306 MLAs. The SP has 48 MLAs, BSP 18, Congress seven, Apna Dal nine and Om Prakash Rajbhar's party four, while four independents and one Nishad MLA.