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'BSP MPs Must Introspect': Mayawati Writes On Social Media Hours After Ritesh Pandey Joins BJP

In his resignation letter to the BSP president, Pandey stated that he believes the party no longer requires his services, as he has not been called to meetings or had any communication from the party leadership for a long period.

X/Mayawati, PTI
Mayawati (right), Ritesh Pandey s BJP (left) Photo: X/Mayawati, PTI
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BSP leader Mayawati urged her party's MPs to 'introspect' if they followed the party's guidelines for the interest of their ideology and took care of the people in their areas.

Mayawati made these comments following the resignation of BSP Lok Sabha MP Ritesh Pandey from Ambedkar Nagar, who joined the BJP in New Delhi before the Lok Sabha elections.

Mayawati said in a series of posts on 'X' in Hindi, "Along with the BSP political party, there is also a movement dedicated to the mission of self-respect and self-respect of the most revered Baba Saheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar due to which the policy and working style of this party is different from the capitalist parties of the country. Keeping this in mind, the party also fields its candidates in the elections."

She further added, "After meeting this criterion, the BSP MPs must introspect whether they took proper care of the people in their area? Did they devote full time in their area? Also did they properly follow the guidelines given from time to time in the interest of the party and the movement?"

"In such a situation, is it possible to give tickets to most of the Lok Sabha MPs, especially when they are seen wandering here and there in their own interests and are in the news for negative reasons. It is unfair for the media to publicise this as a weakness of the party despite knowing all this. The interest of the BSP is above all," she said.

What did BSP MP Ritesh Pandey say in his resignation letter?

In his resignation letter to the BSP president, Pandey stated that he believes the party no longer requires his services, as he has not been called to meetings or had any communication from the party leadership for a long period.

He shared his resignation letter on X.

"For a long time, neither am I being called to attend party meetings nor has the party leadership spoken to me. I made numerous efforts to get in touch with and meet you (Mayawati) and the top leadership of the party but it did not yield any result," Pandey said in his resignation letter.

"During this time, I continuously met workers and supporters of other parties in my area and was also involved in various works going on in the constituency. Hence, I have come to the conclusion that the party does not need my service and presence," he said.

"So, I do not have any other option apart from resigning from the primary membership of the party. The decision to break the relationship with the party is a difficult decision from the emotional point of view," he added urging Mayawati to accept his resignation.

Later on Sunday, Pandey became a member of the BJP in New Delhi in the presence of prominent party figures, such as Uttar Pradesh in-charge Baijayant Jay Panda, national general secretary Tarun Chugh, Uttar Pradesh unit chief Bhupendra Singh, UP Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak and Rajya Sabha MP and party's national media in-charge Anil Baluni.

At the press conference, Pandey thanked the BJP leadership for giving him the party's primary membership with "a lot of love and respect".

According to PTI, "I have come forward to work and contribute to Prime Minister Modi's vision for a 'Viksit Bharat' under his leadership. I want to thank Nadda Ji for giving me a place in this family. I would also like to thank the home minister of the country who guided me throughout this journey" he said and added that he would work with "full dedication" and help the party achieve its target of winning 400-plus seats in the Lok Sabha polls.

BJP's national general secretary, Tarun Chugh, expressed his confidence in Pandey to uphold the Prime Minister's vision for a 'Viksit Bharat'.