Mayawati sacks BSP leader over Rahul remarks

Lucknow, July 17 (IANS) BSP chief Mayawati on Tuesday sacked senior party leader Jai Prakash Singh, a day after he triggered a row by saying that foreign blood won’t let Congress President Rahul Gandhi succeed in Indian politics and lead the country.

"I came to know about Jai Prakash Singh’s speech in which he spoke against the ideology of the BSP and also made personal remarks against the leadership of rival parties. It’s his personal opinion. So, he has been removed from his post with immediate effect," Mayawati said in a statement.

The removal came after Jai Prakash Singh said at a public meeting on Monday that Gandhi had grown up like his mother Sonia Gandhi and not like his father and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

"Had he grown up like his father Rajiv Gandhi, he would have succeeded in politics for once. But he has grown up like his mother who is a foreigner. I say this with certainty that Rahul Gandhi won’t ever succeed in Indian politics and lead India," the now expelled BSP leader said.

The remarks came as opposition parties are trying to stitch an anti-BJP alliance ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The Congress and the BSP are exploring a partnership in Madhya Pradesh that votes later this year to elect a new state government.