CBI charge sheet against Unnao MLA puts BJP in tight spot

Lucknow: The CBI charge sheet against BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in an alleged rape case has left the ruling party in a quandary as the opposition demanded

the legislator's expulsion while the saffron party maintained that it was "too early" to take a call.

Sengar, a four-time MLA who enjoys immense clout in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao, was on Wednesday charged by the CBI with raping a minor girl at his residence at Makhi village on June 4 last year.

"The party leadership is closely monitoring the matter and is in touch with the local leadership," UP BJP spokesperson Chandramohan said.

"Whatever necessary and appropriate steps as per the policies of the BJP (are needed) will be taken. A decision will definitely be taken," he added.

The spokesperson further said that it was "too early to take a call" on the demand for the Unnao MLA's expulsion as the CBI filed the charge sheet only on Wednesday.

"It has not been a long time that charge sheet has been filed. It would be unfair to jump to an early conclusion," he said reacting to the opposition SP and Congress, besides the rape survivor's uncle's, seeking Sengar's ouster from the party.

"BJP has never compromised with its principles and we give due importance to them," he said when asked about the party's silence on taking action against Sengar even after he was named in the charge sheet.

The BJP spokesperson also said, "Our party has never done what the Congress does. The BJP has a clear line, while the Congress is facing a host of questions from different quarters, which it is unable to answer. The list of questions to the Congress is quite long and its leadership is on bail."

"As far as the BJP is concerned, it pertains to just an MLA and not the party leadership. It was on the request of the UP government that the CBI took up the probe. We are committed to justice and delivery of justice," he said.

The CBI was handed over the case by the state government nearly 10 months after the crime and a self-immolation bid by the victim in front of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's residence here.

The subsequent death of her father in jail from injuries allegedly inflicted by the MLA's brother in April this year only added to the ruling party's woes.