Naseemuddin Siddiqui was ousted from BSP last year. He then formed his own party named Rashtriya Bahujan Morcha which he merged with Congress.
The Indian National Congress on Thursday welcomed the former Bahujan Samaj Party leader Naseemuddin Siddiqui as he joined the party. Siddiqui was expelled from BSP following the charges of anti-party activities. Not only Siddiqui but several other former BSP leaders who held key positions in the BSP government and the party administration joined the Congress. The move came in the wake of BSP-JD(S) pre-poll alliance in Karnataka which deliberately kept Congress out of the alliance.
The leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha and AICC general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad was present at the spot. When asked about whether this induction will upset BSP chief Mayawati, Azad observed that the event is unlikely to affect the grand alliance in making ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Azad said, “I think Mayawatiji has no reason to be upset as the members joining Congress were expelled from her party and no longer hold any position in it.” Azad further asserted that the party has not taken away the BSP leaders.
Naseemuddin Siddiqui was ousted from the party after the UP Assembly Elections last year. Following the expulsion, Siddiqui along with other BSP leaders formed his own party named Rashtriya Bahujan Morcha. Talking to media present at the spot, he announced that the political outfit has decided to merge with Congress. Along with Naseemuddin Siddiqui, 19 former BSP legislators and 43 former BSP office-bearers joined Congress. The new entrants also included former ministers OP Singh, Raghunath Shankwar, Liyaqat Ali and Achchelal Nishad.
Talking about the effect of the move on the state dynamics, Ghulam Nabi Azad pointed out that state and national level dynamics are different. He said, “Greater alliances are formed to achieve greater things and to defeat some people.” He further added that such small things don’t affect the larger mutual goals.
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