Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik on Monday accepted Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's request to dismiss Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party chief OM Prakash Rajbhar from the post of Minister for Backward Class Welfare and 'Divyangjan' Empowerment with immediate effect.
Seven other leaders of the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP), who were holding ministerial ranks in commissions, have also been removed from the state cabinet.
"I welcome the decision but I wish that Yogi Adityanath had shown the same haste in dealing with issues related to my demand for implementing prohibition in the state, granting scholarships to poor children and other such issues," Rajbhar said.
He also said that he would now work towards exposing the BJP.
"I will continue to consolidate my community and tell them how the BJP has cheated the OBCs and Dalits. The BJP never addressed issues raised by me and kept me waiting till the elections were over," he added.
"Surely Yogi Adityanath could have dismissed me even during elections but they did not want to suffer OBC backlash by doing so. However, this is not the end of elections -- there will be more elections in the future," he stated.
Rajbhar had claimed that he had sent his resignation to the Chief Minister on April 13 but the BJP sources claim that the resignation was "nowhere to be found".
"If he had to resign, he should have sent his resignation to the Governor," said Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma.
Though Rajbhar claimed to have resigned from the Yogi government last month, he, reportedly, continued to enjoy the perks, including bungalow, car and staff, that were given to the cabinet minister.
Earlier in the day, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath recommended sacking of SBSP leader Om Prakash Rajbhar from his cabinet for his outbursts against senior NDA partner BJP.
He also recommended that all other Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) members holding the rank of minister of state be removed immediately, an official spokesperson said here.
Rajbhar has often been making controversial statements against the saffron party, the latest being during the Lok Sabha election campaign when he said that BJP members should be "thrashed" with shoes.
(With inputs from agencies)
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