'Anti-party activities': BJP suspends ex-Union minister RK Singh; asks him to respond to show-cause notice

NEW DELHI: BJP on Saturday suspended former Union power minister and ex-Ara MP R K Singh, accusing him of anti-party activities. The party has asked him to submit a reply within one week.In a show-cause notice to Singh, BJP said, "You are indulging in anti-party activities. This falls within the scope of discipline. The party has taken this seriously. This has caused harm to the party. Therefore, as directed, you are being suspended from the party and asked to explain why you should not be expelled from the party. Therefore, please clarify your position within a week of receiving this letter," the BJP said in a notice to Singh this morning.

Along with Singh, the BJP has also suspended party MLC Ashok Kumar Agarwal and Katihar Mayor Usha Agarwal on similar grounds.Singh had been issuing remarks that were critical of the BJP and the government. The former Union minister had reportedly raised serious allegations about a major government project. He said that the solar power project in Bihar is a Rs 62,000-crore scam in the power project handover to Adani in Bihar.

Known for speaking his mind, Singh had also urged voters to reject candidates with criminal records, including those fielded by the NDA. He had named deputy chief minister Samrat Choudhary and JD(U) candidate Anant Singh among those with serious allegations. He told people not to support such candidates “even if they belong to your caste and if none of those in the fray is without a taint, opt for NOTA”. Before the party took action, the former Union minister had also appealed to the Election Commission to enforce the Model Code of Conduct more strictly. He described a recent incident as a “failure” of both the poll body and the local administration.