BHUBANESWAR: Four days after the Kandhamal by-elections results, the BJP today suspended its Vice-president Ashok Sahu on the charge of indiscipline.
"Ashok Sahu has been suspended from the party by the state President K V Singhdeo. Sahu has also been served a show-cause notice asking as to why he will not be expelled from the party," BJP spokesman Samir Mohanty told reporters here.
Sahu has breached discipline by airing his remarks in the media and Twitter posts, Mohanty said, adding that the party has sought reply from him within seven days.
Sahu said he would take the matter to the central leadership and questioned the party state President Singhdeo's style of functioning.
"He (Singhdeo) may be a member of the Balangir royal family, but I am not his servant. KV is a leader of weak personality," Sahu alleged.
Sahu, who had unsuccessfully contested as a BJP candidate from Kandhamal Lok Sabha seat in 2009, was willing to contest from the same seat where by-election was held on October 15.
He was, however, denied a ticket and the BJP fielded former party MP Rudra Madhav Ray in Kandhamal who too lost the polls.
Immediately after the bypoll results were announced, Sahu raised question as to why the Modi magic was not working in Odisha. "The party should introspect about that," Sahu has written on the social network.
Blaming some senior leaders in the party for the BJP's dismal performances in Odisha, Sahu said, "the party is run by some hired leaders and some tainted leaders. This is the reason as to why the people of Odisha reject BJP."
Stating that the BJP state leadership has to pay a price for suspending him from the party, Sahu, a former IPS officer alleged that certain front ranking leaders have direct or indirect relationship with the BJD leadership.
The former vice-president also charged party President Singhdeo of bringing shame for the BJP by procuring some land at Ghangapatna village where influential persons allegedly grabbed about 100 acres of land.
Party spokesman Mohanty said former MLA and senior leader Pratap Sarangi has been named as new vice president of the state BJP.