BSP expels former MLAs, all likely to join SP

Lucknow, Nov 24 (IANS) Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has expelled five-time MLA Ram Prasad for indiscipline and anti-party activities.The party also suspended three former MLAs from Basti-- Rajendra Chaudhary, Doodh Ram and Jitendra Kumar from the party on Saturday.BSP Basti district president Sanjay Dhusia said that the leaders had been involved in anti-party activities for the past several months and had been given several warnings.Sources said that the expelled leaders would now join the Samajwadi Party.Ram Prasad Chaudhary, a former MP and a minister in the Mayawati government, told reporters that he had not yet made up his mind about it."I do not know why the party president Mayawati is upset with me. I resigned from the party on Saturday but soon after, I was served with an expulsion notice. I will continue in politics but have not decided yet which party to join," he said.The former MP is a prominent Kurmi leader in Basti and weilds considerable clout in the region.Recently, former BSP MLC and former finance minister KK Gautam also joined SP.
--IANS amita/adr/