Sahendar Singh Chauhan was the RLD's lone MLA
Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) president Ajit Singh today expelled the party's lone MLA in the UP Assembly, Sahender Singh Chauhan, for working against its directives and casting his vote for the BJP in the recently concluded Rajya Sabha elections.
MLA Sahendra Singh Chaudhan kept the party leadership in the dark and worked against its directives, a release issued by the RLD in Lucknow said. "Hobnobbing with the BJP, he cast his vote as part of a conspiracy. He has been expelled by party president Chaudhary Ajit Singh," the release read.
The party had decided to vote in favour of the Bahujan Samajwadi Party in the Rajya Sabha elections to defeat communal forces, the release, signed by RLD National General Secretary Trilok Tyagi, read.
The RLD is committted to opposition unity in national interest against the BJP government which is "spreading communal hatred in society", it added.
The RLD MLA's vote was reportedly declared invalid as he had cast it in favour of two candidates.
The BJP won all the nine seats it contested and the remaining seat went to the SP in the polls marred by cross-voting from both the sides, which led to the defeat of the BSP candidate in the prestigious battle of ballots.