BSP expels ex-minister Kushwaha, blames him for CMO killings

The Bahujan Samaj Party on Monday expelled former Family Welfare Minister Babu Singh Kushwaha, once a close confidant of Mayawati who was removed from her cabinet in the wake of the killing of two chief medical officers and the National Rural Health Mission scam.

Accusing Kushwaha, who is also facing Lokayukta probe and had created a stir by claiming threat to his life from party leaders and bureaucrats, of indulging in anti-party activities, BSP state president Swami Prasad Maurya said he "failed to execute his responsibilities due to which two chief medical officers were killed while he was the minister."

"Kushwaha in connivance with the opposition leaders was conspiring against the government and the party. When Kushwaha realised that he was landing in the legal net he started apprehending threat from party colleague Naseemuddin Siddiqui, cabinet secretary and principal secretary home," he said.

Kushwaha was considered close to Mayawati and held family welfare department before resigning from the post in April this year following murder of two chief medical officers in Lucknow, believed to be fallout of the NRHM scam.

Swamy said he "was conspiring against the party and the government and has been expelled forever on charges of indiscipline and indulging into anti-party activities."

He said that the party made him MLC twice and even gave him the charges of important departments including family welfare after forming the government.

"It is unfortunate that Kushwaha failed to execute his responsibilities properly...," Maurya said. The state president said that after such incidents his resignation was taken and the department was given to Siddiqui. The chief Minister handed over the probe into the death of two CMOs in family welfare department to the CBI.

"After resigning from the post, Kushwaha got involved in anti-party activities and attempted to damage BSP," he said and alleged that to save himself from CBI inquiry into NRHM scam, he was in constant touch with the Congress.

"He did not attend the winter session of assembly and even instigated the opposition members to create din in the house against the government. Whatever Kushwaha did was for his personal interest and had nothing to do with the movement of the party," Swamy said.

Kushwaha in a letter sent to CM and BSP supremo Mayawati on November 17 had apprehended threat from his party colleagues and some bureaucrats.

Kushwaha had sent copies of the letter dated November 17 to the prime minister, UP Governor, chief justices of Supreme Court and Allahabad high court, Director Central Bureau of Investigation and principal secretary (home) Government of India.