BJP annuls Sabir Ali`s membership post dissent
Amid growing dissidence over Sabir Ali`s induction into its ranks, the BJP cancelled the membership of the expelled JD(U) leader.
Trending Photos
Sabir Ali induction has caused great resentment. Party leadership has been apprised of d strong views of d cadre n people agnst it
— Ram Madhav (@rammadhavrss) March 29, 2014
Senior BJP leader Balbir Punj had also demanded the reversal of the decision to induct Sabir Ali in the party.
Criticising the decision to induct Ali, Punj said, "There was no reason to induct a man, who in the past has been tainted with serious charges of terrorism".
"The perception about his past does not gel at all with the culture of BJP," he said.
This is the second instance of the BJP cutting a sorry face after it inducted a controversial right-wing activist and Sri Ram Sene chief Pramod Muthalik by the Karnataka unit which threw him out within hours after strong criticism from both within and outside the party.
Muthalik`s Sene activists were involved in attack on women in pubs in Mangalore a few years ago after which he was also jailed. Now he has taken a vow to avenge his humiliation at the hands of BJP in the current elections.
Naqvi said the party has been fighting against terrorism and has been touting as being "different", how can it justify the entry of someone who has links with terrorists.
He had alleged that Bhatkal was arrested from Ali`s Mumbai residence some time ago, even as his name had figured in the murder case of noted music magnate Gulshan Kumar.
BJP spokesman Sudhanshu Trivedi had said the induction was done on the recommendation of Bihar unit of the party and "further action" in the matter will be taken after "verifying all facts and antecedents" of Ali.
JD(U) had expelled Ali, once a confidant of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, for praising Modi.
The party had earlier declined to renominate Ali and two other MPs, including NK Singh who also later joined BJP, to the Rajya Sabha after their term ends next month.
Ali was JD(U)`s candidate from Sheohar constituency for Lok Sabha elections before the party withdrew his candidature following his praise for Modi.
Ali, who was earlier in Ram Vilas Paswan-led LJP before joining Kumar, said he had seen so called secular parties from close quarters due to his association with them and there is a difference between what they preach and what they practise.
(With PTI inputs)