Former BSP heavyweight and close aide of Mayawati, Naseemuddin Siddiqui, today joined the Congress party along with his supporters.
Former BSP heavyweight and a close aide of Mayawati, Naseemuddin Siddiqui, today joined the Congress party along with his supporters. Three former UP ministers, including OP Singh and Liyaqat Ali and several ex-MLAs, also joined the party.
Siddiqui, the Muslim face of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), was expelled from the party on May 10, 2017 for "anti-party activities". He also announced that the Rashtriya Bahujan Morcha, the outfit that he floated after being expelled from the BSP, was merged with the Congress.
He joined the party in presence of Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Raj Babbar and All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in-charge for UP Ghulam Nabi Azad in Delhi.
Welcoming him into the party, Azad said the "Congress will rise once again as the strongest party in the country."
"The Congress Party will rise once again as the strongest party in the country. Today, I heartily welcome all the members to the Congress Party," Azad said at a briefing at the AICC headquarters here.
"People now want to work with Congress President Rahul Gandhi," he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Raj Babbar said, "All the members who have joined the party today strengthen our support on the ground."
After getting expelled, Naseemuddin had come out with 150 audio tapes of his conversation with BSP supremo Mayawati to support his allegation that money was being demanded from him. He had said that whatever charges had been levelled against him applies to Mayawati also.
The former UP minister had also said Mayawati's wrong policies led to BSP's poor performance in the last state and general elections.
He had also alleged that Mayawati had made objectionable comments against Muslims, upper castes and backward castes.
(With PTI inputs)
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