BSP MLC Naseemuddin Siddiqui, who defected to Congress, disqualified

A Bahujan Samaj Party member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council, who had defected to the Congress, was on Tuesday disqualified from the membership of the Upper House of the state legislature, the BSP said

Council Chairman Ramesh Yadav disqualified Naseemuddin Siddiqui with effect from February 22, 2018, when he had crossed over to the Congress from the BSP, with which he was aligned when he took oath as an MLC, the party said in a press release issued here

BSP national general secretary Satish Misra, in a statement, said, "Naseemuddin Siddiqui was elected to UP Legislative Council from BSP on January 23, 2015. On February 22, 2018, he took formal membership of the Congress, after which a petition (under the Anti-Defection Act) was moved by the Leader of the BSP in the House seeking his disqualification from the membership of UP Legislative Council with effect from February 22, 2018." After a long hearing, the Council Chairman gave his ruling, disqualifying the member, the statement added.