BJP MLC suspended from party for 'sexual harassment'

BJP on Friday suspended its Legislative Council member Lal Babu Prasad for allegedly sexually harassing a woman LJP MLC.

"Lal Babu Prasad, MLC, was suspended from the primary membership of BJP," senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said in a tweet.

A show cause has also been issued by the party to Prasad, Sushil Modi told reporters.

The Chairperson of State Legislative Council Awdesh Narayan Singh announced in the House that the matter had been referred to ethics committee of the House for probe.

The chairperson said he took this decision after taking suo motu cognisance of the sordid episode in Legislative Council premises on March 29.

He further announced that Prasad has been removed from Council's Committee on Pollution and Environment.

The episode had created a major embarrassment for BJP and NDA. Ruling Grand Alliance MLCs had on Thursday raised in the Legislative Council the issue of a BJP MLA reportedly thrashing a party MLC for "sexually harassing" the former's wife who is an LJP MLC. A BJP MLA rained blows on Prasad in the Council premises on Wednesday after Bablu's wife had complained to him about Prasad sexually harassing her. Some BJP members had separated the clashing legislators in the corridor in between Council and Legislative Assembly.

The woman JD(U) MLC raised the issue in the Council and RJD's Rabri Devi sought action against BJP MLC Lal Babu Prasad. The matter came up in state Legislative Assembly also on Friday when JD(U) member Ranju Geeta raised the issue. She was supported by party and other women legislators.