A Bharatiya Janata Party leader in Uttar Pradesh was expelled from the party after he allegedly eloped with the daughter of a Samajwadi Party leader in Hardoi district, reports said on Wednesday.
Ashish Shukla, who was the BJP's Hardoi city general secretary, was expelled after police filed an FIR against him and started an investigation based on the SP leader's complaint. Shukla, 47, is already married with a 21-year-old son and a seven-year-old daughter.
Reports said Shukla and the 26-year-old woman were in love for quite some time and they decided to elope after her family fixed her marriage against her will.
“Due to laxity in work and conduct against the policy of the party, the post (of Shukla in BJP) has been taken away and his primary membership has also been canceled. Shukla has nothing to do with the party now. The police are completely free to take action against Ashish,” BJP’s Hardoi district media in-charge Gangesh Pathak was quoted as saying by IANS.
The BJP and the SP are bitter rivals in the politically crucial state.