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Bharatiya Janata Party president M Venkaiah Naidu said on Monday that he has recommended disciplinary action against dissident party legislators in Uttar Pradesh.
Naidu told reporters that the dissidents have been giving public statements criticising the leadership at both the state and the central level.
"We tried to talk to them after consulting party leaders like Kalraj Mishra, Rajnath Singh, and [former BJP chief Shashikant] 'Kushabhau' Thakre," he said. "But some of the dissidents misbehaved and despite our efforts to talk to them crossed the 'Laxman rekha'," he told reporters.
Seeing their support for the candidature of Suresh Nanda for the Rajya Sabha as an act of defiance, Naidu said the dissidents were trying to distance themselves from the party.
"On Monday, I consulted Mishra and the party's UP chief Vinay Katiyar and told them to take action against the dissidents. But the state will decide how to proceed against them on disciplinary grounds," he said.
Clearly, the dissidents, by their continued defiance of the BJP leadership, have made themselves susceptible to disqualification, an eventuality that is being contemplated by Speaker Kesrinath Tripathi.
The party will also take into account provisions under its constitution and the anti-defection law.
"The dissidents have proved that they are no longer with the party," Naidu said.
Thakre had apprised him of the situation in the state. His recommendation for action came after consultations with the central government.
"Any party legislator is at liberty to communicate his grievances to the leadership, but it has to be within the party forum," Naidu said.
Asked the number of dissident MLAs, Naidu said, "Ten of them signed the proposal to elect rebel candidate Suresh Nanda."
Responding to queries about the impending Gujarat election, he said there were attempts to create tensions, but the BJP and Chief Minister Narendra Modi were doing their best to ensure law and order.
ALSO SEE: Nanda's nomination for Rajya Sabha rejected
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