Senior BSP leader Naseemuddin Siddiqui, son removed from party

Lucknow: In a swift political development, Bahujan Samaj Party President Mayawati expelled her long-time trusted aide Naseemuddin Siddiqui from the party for indulging in anti-party activities.

Afzal Siddiqui, the son of Naseemuddin, who was inducted into party only recently, was also shown the door in the action which smacked of the sheer desperation over the dismal party performance of BSP in Uttar Pradesh assembly polls.

The expulsion of Naseemuddin was officially announced by the party General Secretary Satish Chandra Mishra here on Wednesday morning. Mishra accused Siddiqui of owning slaughter houses and land in western UP, besides indulging in anti-party activities.

The BSP has also accused Siddiqui of taking money from party cadre, an allegation that has previously been levelled on Mayawati by former rebel party leaders like Swami Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak.

It may be mentioned that Siddiqui was removed as the BSP in-charge of Uttar Pradesh after the Mayawati led party faced a humiliating defeat in the recently concluded Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

The action of BSP Supremo came as a surprise because Naseemuddin was one of the closest to her and always played a major role during BSP regimes in the state. He always held important portfolios in Mayawati-led governments and was also the muslim face of the party.