Former BJP MP Savitribai Phule Quits Congress, Says, 'My Voice Not Heard'

Former BJP MP Savitribai Phule, who had joined Congress prior to the general elections this year, resigned from the party on Thursday. She alleged that her ‘voice was not heard’ in the party. Phule, a prominent Schedule Caste leader, had resigned from the membership of BJP on the death anniversary of BR Ambedkar last year. She had alleged the BJP of “trying to create divisions in the society".

On her resignation, she vowed to form a party of her own adding that there ‘was no difference’ between the BJP and the Congress. She blamed Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for her exit from the party.

However, while joining Congress in the presence of then Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Jyotiraditya Scindia, Phule had said, “I have to save constitution of the country. And I will strengthen the hands of Congress party who can stop BJP.”

Moreover, Phule was upset over Supreme Court’s order of cancelling stringent provisions of a law for the protection of Dalits.

Savitribai Phule successfully contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from the Bahraich constituency. However, after she contested as a Congress candidate from the seat in the general elections this year, she lost to the BJP.

Phule had started her career in Bahujan Samaj Party but later joined the BJP. Earlier, Phule landed herself amid controversies by claiming Hanuman was a “Dalit (scheduled caste), but also a slave of 'manuwadi' people".