BSP accepts Ambika Chaudhary’s resignation; he hints at rejoining SP

By PTI
BALLIA:  The BSP on Sunday accepted the resignation of former Uttar Pradesh minister Ambika Chaudhary, who has hinted that he might rejoin the Samajwadi Party.

Accepting his resignation from its primary membership, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) accused the former minister of “betrayal”.

Meanwhile, when asked if he would rejoin the Samajwadi Party (SP), which he had quit in 2016, Chaudhary said, “Ghar wapsi (homecoming) is always pleasant.” The former state minister, however, added that he will convey his decision at an appropriate time after consulting his supporters.

Ambika Chaudhary was a cabinet minister in the Samajwadi Party governments led by Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav but had joined the BSP in 2016.

On Saturday, the Samajwadi Party (SP) had declared his son Anand Chaudhary as its candidate for the post of Ballia zila panchayat chairman and the minister too had resigned from the BSP.

Accusing Ambika Chaudhary of “betrayal”, BSP’s zone coordinator Madan Ram said, “Chaudhary’s resignation from the primary membership of the party has been accepted.

Directions have been issued not to invite Chaudhary to party programmes.

” “If he has any morality left in him, then he would first of all make his son resign from the post of the zila panchayat member and contest the bypolls,” the BSP leader said, adding that his party will prepare a fresh strategy for the zila panchayat chairman elections.

Anand Chaudhary is a zila panchayat member from Ward No.

45 of Ballia and was elected with the support of the BSP.

The Samajwadi Party move had triggered a sharp reaction from BSP legislative party’s deputy leader Uma Shankar Singh, who accused Ambika Chaudhary of betraying the party.

Accusing Chaudhary of “backstabbing” the BSP, Singh had said he has “indulged in deceit, showing his true nature”.

“When the SP had expelled Ambika Chaudhary, the BSP had honoured him and given him a party ticket from the Phephana Assembly constituency,” he said.

Ambika Chaudhary had said he was feeling ignored in the BSP.

Polling for the election of zila panchayat chairpersons will be held on July 3.

The counting of votes will be taken up on the same day, the Uttar Pradesh State Election Commission had said in its poll notification earlier.

Zila panchayat chairpersons are elected from among the elected members of zila panchayats of various districts.