Rajasthan: BSP issues whip to its MLAs; Wajib Ali terms it a publicity stunt

JAIPUR: BSP state unit has shot a letter to the speaker of the assembly informing that the party has issued a whip for the party MLAs of voting in favour of an independent candidate in the Rajya Sabha polls scheduled on June 10.
BSP party president Bhagwan Singh Baba cleared that the party was fine with the six MLAs voting for any independent candidate. “Even if they support BJP backed independent candidate Subhash Chandra, the party is okay,” Baba said.
The letter reads, “Our party president Mayawati has decided that since our party doesn’t believe in the politics and policies of the Congress or the BJP. Our candidates will vote in favour of the independent candidate as decided by the party. In case they vote for any other candidate, it should be taken as violation of the whip and would warrant appropriate action against them.”
Six MLAs won on BSP tickets in 2018 but in less than a year joined the Congress. It includes minister Rajendra Singh Gudha, Jogendra Singh Awana, Wajib Ali, Lakhan Singh, Deep Chand and Sandeep Yadav.
Reacting to the whip, MLA Ali said, “We are no longer members of BSP. Speaker CP Joshi had in 2020 during the last Rajya Sabha polls cleared that the BSP has legally become part of the Congress. The letter by the BSP is a stunt to gain publicity.”
This is the second letter shot by the BSP state unit head Baba in less than a week in order to prevent the ex-BSP MLAs from voting in the Rajya Sabha polls.
On being asked if a party official issue a whip, Baba said the whip was issued after consultation with a legal team. “Bahen Mayawati has faced the anti-defection law several times and knows how to handle the situation,” said Baba. He added in 2020, the party’s national general secretary had issued the whip before the Rajya Sabha polls which were cancelled by the speaker CP Joshi.