Top BSP leader in trouble for changing name

LUCKNOW: Another senior BSP leader is under cloud for allegedly changing name for electoral gains. The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court on Friday issued notice to former mining and family welfare minister Babu Singh Kushwaha on a writ petition alleging that Kushwaha's original name in electoral records is Ram Naresh but he fought elections on a different name without fulfilling legalities required in case a person changes his/her name.
The petitioner also alleged that Kushwaha is maintaining dual identity for electoral and commercial benefits.
The petitioner alleged that Kushwaha has taken up the second name which makes his caste conspicuous in order to attract voters of his caste. Kushwaha was a prominent backward face of BSP and close to chief minister Mayawati till some time back but in April this year he was sacked him the cabinet after his name figured in National Rural Health Mission scam and murders of three medical officers related to it.
Earlier, Labour minister Badhshah Singh was indicted for corruption as well as for name change for electoral and commercial benefits by the UP Lokayukta justice (retired) NK Mehrotra.
Corruption charges against Singh were that he used 1.991 hectares of government land for constructing a stadium at a college built in memory of his father. Another 0.6680 hectares of land was used for his private school.
The Lokayukta recommended that the land should be taken back and imposed a fine on Singh under the UP Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act. He also asked for an action-taken report from the government in one month.
The Lokayukta also found that Badshah Singh's original name was Ramendra Singh and he had used it to get possession of unauthorised properties. However, he had been using both names. He had contested the Nagar Panchayat election from Kharela in the name Badshah Singh.
When he contested the assembly election in 1989, his name in the voters' list was Ramendra Singh. However, he filed his nomination for the Assembly election in 1991 as Badshah Singh.
The Lokayukta has also written to the election commission to take appropriate action for changing name for electoral benefit.