Tribune News Service
New Delhi/Lucknow, August 1
While for the most part of the day the word went around that the BJP has “finally expelled its rape-accused MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar from the party” with no official confirmation from the party and UP state president Swatantra Dev Singh also more or less confirming it, it seems to be status quo on the controversial Bangarmau MLA.
Sengar is suspended and not expelled, Singh was quoted as saying.
In other words, the rape-accused MLA continues to be a BJP legislator even though he is languishing in jail. “Kuldeep Sengar has been suspended from the party and not expelled. He was suspended during the tenure of Mahendra Nath Pandey,” Swatantra Dev Singh was quoted as saying amid growing outrage and indignation across the country over the Unnao rape incident and equally reprehensible happenings henceforth.
While BJP leaders in Delhi remained cagey as the news of Sengar's 'expulsion' circulated, those in Lucknow expressed ignorance about any decision to expel the imprisoned MLA. Party spokesperson Vijay Bahadur Pathak categorically denied of being aware of any such decision having taken place, while his colleague Chandra Mohan said he was “hearing the news since morning and wondering where it was originating from”.
Officially, the BJP leaders are stating the obvious and expected: “law will take its course”, “no-one will be spared”, “such a sensitive issue should not be politicised”. They are also blaming Sengar’s political rivals for escalating the issue. Sengar has been suspended from the party and will remain so till an inquiry is completed, they add.
On why Sengar is not being expelled, especially when the party does not need this one MLA in the UP Assembly where it enjoys an unquestionable majority, one theory is that his “caste and clout” makes him special, another doing rounds is that he has been "framed". Sengar is accused of raping a girl and he has been in jail ever since an FIR was filed against him.
from The Tribune https://ift.tt/2yvSXXC
via Today’s News Headlines
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