Controversial audio: TN BJP removes OBC wing leader from party posts for 6 months

Tirupur/Chennai (TN), Nov 24 (PTI) The Tamil Nadu BJP on Thursday enquired party Minority wing head Daisy Saran and its State General Secretary, OBC Morcha, Trichy Surya Siva over their 'controversial' phone conversation and announced the removal of the latter from all party posts for six months.

BJP state president K Annamalai said in a statement Surya Siva had admitted to "bringing disrepute to the party" by his actions. Siva's alleged abusive language in his telephonic conversation with Saran had gone viral.

"He is therefore being removed from all party posts for six months. He can serve the party only as a worker," Annamalai said, adding, if he finds a marked change in Siva's actions, and if he manages to win the leadership's trust, "post will come back to him." Though Saran and Siva had mentioned before the disciplinary panel that they were ready to bury the hatchet and move forward, the party cannot tolerate insults to women, unlike "certain Dravidian parties," Annamalai said.

With the audio clip going viral on social media, Annamalai had ordered an inquiry and asked the leaders to appear before the committee at Tirupur BJP office.

The BJP on Tuesday barred the OBC wing leader from party events after the audio clip in which he is purportedly heard using abusive language against the woman colleague went viral.

Surya, son of senior DMK leader and the party's Rajya Sabha MP Trichy Siva, had joined the BJP in May this year. PTI NVM SA ROH ROH