Siddiqui to continue as UP MLC; chairman rejects BSP petition

Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council Chairman Ramesh Yadav has rejected the Bahujan Samaj Party's petition to disqualify Naseemuddin Siddiqui as a member of the legislative council on the ground that he had left the party.
The BSP's petition has been rejected by the council chairman and Siddiqui will continue as a council member, a senior official of the UP upper house said today.
In an application to the council chairman on June 29, the party had demanded that Siddiqui should not be given any facility or allowance that he used to enjoy as a legislator.
BSP leader in UP Legislative Council Sunil Kumar Chittor had sent the application to the chairman citing various rules, seeking that Siddiqui be disqualified from membership with effect from May 27.

It was on May 27 that Siddiqui had floated a new outfit, the Rashtriya Bahujan Morcha, after he was expelled from the BSP.
The BSP in its petition had said that Siddiqui was elected on a BSP ticket and since he was no longer associated with the party, he should be disqualified from the membership of the council.

Reacting to the decision, Siddiqui told reporters that "baseless allegations" were levelled against him and he was "happy with the decision".
The BSP, however, did not react to the decision.
"We will first see the order and decide accordingly," a BSP leader said.