Haryana BJP Expels 8 Members Including Former Minister For Contesting Assembly Polls Independently

The Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP ) in Haryana expelled its eight members, including two former ministers, for six years from the party for contesting the upcoming October 5 state assembly elections independently after they were denied party tickets. The party's action came up as a major crackdown against the rebels, who chose to stand against the party during the Haryana Assembly elections. According to a statement issued by state party chief Mohan Lal Badoli, the eight party rebels, include former minister Ranjit Chautala, who had quit the post after the BJP denied a ticket to him and Sandeep Garg, who is up against Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini from the Ladwa Assembly seat.

The list of BJP leaders, who have been expelled from the party includes the names of Ranjit Chautala, who is contesting from Rania, and former MLA Devendra Kadyan, who is contesting from Ganaur. Sandeep Garg, who is contesting from Ladwa, Zile Ram Sharma from Assandh, Bachan Singh Arya from Safidon, Radha Ahlawat from Maham, Naveen Goyal from Gurugram, and Kehar Singh Rawat from Hathin.

The Haryana BJP said its chief Mohan Lal Badoli has expelled these leaders for six years with immediate effect.

Notably, former minister Ranjit Chautala quit the saffron party after he was denied the ticket from Rania from he was an independent MLA, before quitting the membership of the Haryana Assembly to join the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Chautala was given a ticket for the Lok Sabha by the BJP, but he lost the polls from Hisar.

The 90-member Haryana Assembly is scheduled to go to polls on October 5 and the counting of votes will be taken up on October 8. The BJP is eyeing to return to power in the state for a third consecutive term.

Earlier, the Haryana Congress expelled 13 leaders on Friday for "anti-party activities" over their decision to contest the polls as independent candidates. Several leaders of both the BJP and the Congress were upset over being denied tickets to contest the Assembly polls, but the parties have managed to pacify most of them.