Lucknow: In the first casualty of the standoff between the state Bahratiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership and party dissident legislators over Mayawati ministry expansion, key rebel leader Ramashish Rai was on October 25 suspended on charges of anti-party activities.

BJP state president Vinay Katiyar announced the suspension of Rai who is a member of Uttar Pradesh legislative council and spokesman of "Save BJP Committee" set up by the dissidents to co-ordinate their moves protesting their non-inclusion in the ministry and pressing for BJP's withdrawal from Mayawati government.

Katiyar said disciplinary action could be taken against some more dissident party legislators. "Some more people will be sent into coma soon."

PTI