Even as she gears up to revive the BSP’s support base, party chief Mayawati expelled two Dalit leaders — former MP Ashok Kumar Rawat and his brother Manish Kumar, the party candidate from Misrikh seat in the UP polls earlier this year.

BSP leaders claimed the duo were suspended for “anti-party activities”, but Rawat — MP from Misrikh in 2004 and 2009 — claimed that Mayawati had asked him to pay Rs 20 lakh as donation to the party said the Indian Express. “People are leaving BSP because the demand for money has crossed all limits,” he said.

Rawat’s expulsion comes weeks after another Dalit leader, Indrajeet Saroj, left the party and announced that he will join the SP. Saroj and Rawat belong to Pasi caste — the second largest Dalit caste in UP after Jatavs, the traditional BSP supporters. Since the Assembly elections were held, over 12 BSP leaders have either left the party or been expelled.