Former JD(U) MP Sabir Ali re-inducted in BJP

Former Rajya Sabha MP Sabir Ali, whose membership had been cancelled in less than 24 hours of his joining the party owing to stiff opposition by several saffron party leaders and, was re-inducted in the party in Patna on Thursday.

"We welcome Sabir Ali in our party fold," said BJP general secretary and in-charge of party affairs in Bihar Bhupendra Yadav. "We have accepted his membership because of his hard work for the alleviation of the lot of poor Muslims in the state," added Yadav.

Yadav, however, parried queries on the charges leveled against Ali by Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and other BJP leaders.

Defending his joining, Ali said he had buried the hatchet and made peace with Naqvi after he made clarifications about his remarks. "I am in constant touch with Mr Naqvi and now I have nothing against him," he said. "BJP is a big party, where such small things don't matter," he said.

He sought to clarify that his membership had not been annulled, rather it was put on hold. When asked what would be his role in the party, he replied, this was for the BJP leadership to decide.

Notably, within hours of Ali's induction in the BJP, Naqvi had questioned his joining, while alleging his link to incarcerating Yasin Bhatkal, the alleged chief of the terror group Indian Mujahiddin.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh had also expressed its concern over the induction of Ali, saying that his joining had embarrassed the party.

The chief minister Nitish Kumar had refused to re-nominate his candidature for Rajya Sabha and later expelled him from the JD (U) for openly praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi.