BSP MP Danish Ali suspended from party day after supporting Mahua Moitra

The Bahujan Samaj Party on Saturday suspended its Lok Sabha member Danish Ali for "anti-party" activities.

In a brief statement, the party's Uttar Pradesh unit said Ali, the MP from Amroha, has been suspended for anti-party activities.

The move comes a day after Ali walked out of Lok Sabha proceedings along with other opposition members on Friday to protest against the government's motion to expel TMC member Mahua Moitra for "unethical conduct". Other Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) members remained seated in the House.

Ali has been actively joining opposition ranks in attacking the BJP and its policies even though the Mayawati-led BSP has maintained a distance from the ruling alliance as well as the opposition.

Satish Chandra Misra, the party's general secretary, said in a letter to Ali, "You were told verbally many times that you should not make any statement or take any action against the policies, ideology and discipline of the party, but despite this you have been continuously acting against the party." Misra reminded Ali that he was a member of HD Deve Gowda's Janata Dal (Secular) till 2018.

"... on the request of Deve Gowda, you were given a ticket from Amroha as a candidate of the Bahujan Samaj Party and before giving this ticket, Gowda had given an assurance that you will always follow all the policies and instructions of the Bahujan Samaj Party and will work in the interest of the party," the letter read.

The party charged him with forgetting the assurances he had given and indulging in anti-party activities.

"Therefore, now, in the interest of the party, you are suspended from the membership of the Bahujan Samaj Party with immediate effect," the letter in Hindi said.