The ruling BJP has suspended its senior tribal leader and former MP Sohan Potai for alleged anti-party activities.
State BJP president Dharamlal Kaushik has suspended Potai, a four-time party MP from Kanker (ST) constituency in tribal-dominated Bastar, from the primary membership of the party after he declined to furnish a reply to the show-cause notice issued to him by the party last month, BJP's State Secretary (Organisation) Pawan Sai said today.
BJP had slapped a show cause notice last month on Potai for reportedly giving statements against the party leadership in public domain but he did not reply to it, he said.
Potai's statements have tarnished party's image and considering itas an indiscipline, he has been suspended from the primary membership, Sai added.
Meanwhile, Potai alleged that whoever speaks in the interest of the people of Chhattisgarh in BJP is considered to be a rebel.
"I have spoken about the interest of the domicile of Chhattisgarh. Now, whoever speaks about the welfare and interest of 'Chhattisgarhiya' (people of Chhattisgarh) is being thrown out of the party," Potai told PTI.
Earlier, when former MP Tarachand Sahu (who passed away in 2012) raised the issue of locals, he was kicked out of the party, he alleged.
At the same time, those who indulge in such kind of activities which can malign the party's image are surprisingly being awarded, he claimed.
Dubbing the existing BJP government as "non-Chhattisgarhiya", he said he wanted local people irrespective of parties to come up and take the responsibility of the state and become (the) Chief Minister.
"I am free now as the party has suspended me. I had been speaking against the drawbacks of the government and will continue to do so," he added.
Potai was denied ticket in 2014 Lok Sabha election. He was replaced by the former state Cabinet minister Vikram Usendi as the party nominee.
