Apparently peeved over denial of ticket from Lucknow (west) seat, senior BSP leader Neeraj Bora on Thursday resigned from the party, which claimed that he was expelled.
"I resigned from the party as well as from the post of vice-chairman of Bridge Corporation as criminal elements and new comers are now calling the shot in the BSP, while the old and dedicated workers are being sidelined," Bora told PTI.
Bora, sources said, is apparently sulking over the party's decision of replacing his candidature from Lucknow (west) seat with a new comer Sandeep Bansal, who joined the party just before Lok Sabha polls.
Bora, who is likely to join the Congress in next few days, said he was shocked at the recent incident of attack on UPCC chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi's house, allegedly by BSP men.
"Some people are trying to weaken the party and the governmentÂ… owing to their vested interests. As a result, a large number of people are deserting the party," he said in his resignation letter sent to BSP supremo Mayawati.
"After much consideration.. I have decided to quit from the primary membership of the party," he added.
A BSP spokesperson, however, said Bora has been expelled from the party as "he was indulging in anti-arty activities and misleading workers after he was not made the party candidate from Lucknow (west) seat for which by-election will be held in next few months".
The spokesperson said Bora, who contested 2007 assembly elections from the same seat "was not meeting people and his public relation was poor as a result of which he lost the assembly election badly".
He claimed that even the party workers are not in favour of fielding Bora as party candidate from Lucknow (west) seat.
"Bora was not taking interest in programmes organised by the party and its organisational matters, he was instead busy with his personal matters," the spokesman said.
He said that it became more evident as Bora made no contribution in an agitation organised by the BSP on Wednesday.
"Keeping in mind the sentiments of the workers, the party had decided to field Sandeep Bansal in place of Bora," he said.
