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Smarting under blows from Lokayukta, BSP ‘cleans’ up
In an attempt to project itself as a reformed party, the BSP has decided to re-look at the candidates’ list and plans to weed out names with a criminal past. In a meeting with party office-bearers, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BSP chief Mayawati asked zonal coordinators to revise the list and field only clean candidates.
After the Lokayukta’s adverse report started haunting the Mayawati Government, the BSP has started shedding ‘extra weight’. Corrupt ministers were removed and legislators were denied tickets. The party has started scrutinising names on the list that have criminal records.
Sources said former Basic Education Minister Rangnath Mishra, who was earlier denied a ticket, has now been allowed to contest after an internal party investigation found him clean. He will contest from Mirzapur (city) constituency.
A big name in the criminal world, DP Yadav, has been removed, though his name figured in the first list. Similarly, Purshottan Narain Dwivedi, ruling party MLA from Naraini in Banda, who is chargesheeted in the Sheelu rape case, is also missing from the candidates’ list now.
Other ruling party legislators involved in criminal cases — Sekhar Tiwari (Aurriya) and Anand Sen (Milkipur) — have also been denied tickets, though their names figured in the first list.
Coordinators have been asked to keep in touch with senior party leaders Nasimuddin Siddiqui and state president Swamy Prasad Maurya, who, in turn, would apprise Mayawati of all developments.
In an attempt to project itself as a reformed party, the BSP has decided to re-look at the candidates’ list and plans to weed out names with a criminal past. In a meeting with party office-bearers, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BSP chief Mayawati asked zonal coordinators to revise the list and field only clean candidates.
After the Lokayukta’s adverse report started haunting the Mayawati Government, the BSP has started shedding ‘extra weight’. Corrupt ministers were removed and legislators were denied tickets. The party has started scrutinising names on the list that have criminal records.
Sources said former Basic Education Minister Rangnath Mishra, who was earlier denied a ticket, has now been allowed to contest after an internal party investigation found him clean. He will contest from Mirzapur (city) constituency.
A big name in the criminal world, DP Yadav, has been removed, though his name figured in the first list. Similarly, Purshottan Narain Dwivedi, ruling party MLA from Naraini in Banda, who is chargesheeted in the Sheelu rape case, is also missing from the candidates’ list now.
Other ruling party legislators involved in criminal cases — Sekhar Tiwari (Aurriya) and Anand Sen (Milkipur) — have also been denied tickets, though their names figured in the first list.
Coordinators have been asked to keep in touch with senior party leaders Nasimuddin Siddiqui and state president Swamy Prasad Maurya, who, in turn, would apprise Mayawati of all developments.
