New Delhi, Dec 16 (IANS) Close on the heels of expulsion of Shahid Siddiqui from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), former members of the party have opened an anti-Mayawati front called All India Leaders, Functionaries and Activists to seek leadership change in the party.

The members of the newly-formed front claim that they were close to BSP founder Kanshi Ram.

Manohar Atey, who contested the 1996 election on a BSP ticket from Peddapalli in Andhra Pradesh, said the group has written to the Election Commission about 'un-democratic practices' in the BSP.

'Mayawati has hijacked Kanshi Ram's party. It was to represent poor and deprived. It was formed for the cause of upliftment of poor and downtrodden. But now see what is happening there.

'Money is the most important factor that will give you a membership in the party,' Atey told IANS, a day after the group of about 12-former BSP members held a meeting at the Gandhi Peace Foundation in New Delhi.

They have set up a committee and will meet again after the Election Commission responds to their plea for Mayawati's removal.

'Yes, we are sure the Election Commission will reply,' said Atey, who claimed he was a founding general secretary of the BSP.

Atey said he had to leave the party after Mayawati 'undemocratically' declared herself as the BSP president even though a central committee was suggested to be set up after Kanshi Ram's death to elect the party chief.

Siddiqui, who is also editor of the Urdu daily Nai Dunya, was expelled from the BSP hours after the publication of his interview in The Indian Express Monday where he charged Mayawati - as other regional party leaders - with being autocratic in her decision-making and not taking her MPs along while making major policy decisions.