The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) expelled former Uttar Pradesh Member of Legislative Assembly Imran Masood for insubordination and anti-party activities.
Action was taken against Masood after he praised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, sparking rumors that he may rejoin the Congress prior to the Lok Sabha elections of 2024. “It was a pleasure to collaborate with Rahul Gandhi. Masood told the media on Sunday that he is able to comprehend the problems of even ordinary party members.
In a press release, the president of the BSP district unit in Saharanpur, Janeshwar Prasad, stated that the party’s state unit had ordered an investigation into Masood’s alleged involvement in anti-party and indiscipline-related activities. According to the report, Masood has been dismissed. The party leadership had previously cautioned Masood, but he stated that his working manner had not changed.
After the 2022 assembly election, Masood, an influential Muslim leader from the Saharanpur district in western Uttar Pradesh, joined the BSP. Masood had defected from the Congress to the Samajwadi Party (SP) prior to the 2022 assembly election, while his sibling Noman had joined the BSP. Mayawati, the leader of the BSP, appointed Imran Masood as the West UP coordinator and charged him with convincing the Muslim community to support the BSP in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Janeshwar Prasad stated that Imran Masood was given a membership book for the West UP membership campaign, but he remained inactive. Saima Masood, his wife, stood for mayor of the Saharanpur Municipal Corporation on a BSP ticket but lost to the BJP candidate. The party made it plain to Masood that he will not receive a Lok Sabha election ticket if his wife loses the mayoral election. Nevertheless, he was pressuring the party to nominate him for the Saharanpur Lok Sabha seat, he said.
Haji Fazlur Rehman won the Saharanpur Lok Sabha seat on a BSP ticket in 2019, defeating Raghav Lakhanpal of the BJP.
Masood stated, “I made a mistake by abandoning the Congress prior to the 2022 assembly elections.” Under the influence of my supporters, I resigned from Congress. Even after resignation from Congress. My relationship with Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra is positive. I admire both of the leaders. I was not invited to the party (BSP) meeting conducted in Lucknow on August 23 under the leadership of Mayawati.”
