Getting tough with rebels, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday expelled 10 of its leaders who refused to withdraw from the electoral fray despite repeated persuasions.
The party warned action against the workers who were accompanying the rebel candidates during elections.
Bhupinder Singh Chauhan, who rebelled against party candidate Vikram Jaryal from Bhatiyat in Chamba, has been expelled from the party for six years. During last assembly elections, Chauhan was BJP's official nominee while Jaryal, at that time, had contested as an Independent candidate.
The BJP is facing worst of the rebellion in Kangra district. The party closed its doors for Sudha Shushant, wife of Kangra Lok Sabha member Dr Rajan Shushant. Sudha was vying party ticket from Fatehpur in Kangra district. She had quit her government to contest the bylection in Jawali which was necessitated after Dr Rajan Shushant was elected to Lok Sabha. She had been denied ticket and instead the party preferred political greenhorn Baldev Chaudhary.
Dharamsala Municipal Council president has also been expelled from the party for an indefinite period. Patial revolted against the party's decision to re-field industries minister Kishan Kapoor. Others who were expelled included Sanjay Guleria from Jawali.
Others who have been expelled from the party include Damodar Chauhan from Nachan and Shyam Lala Thkaur from Mandi Sadar. Thakur is the president of the party's block unit. Mahant Ram Chaudhary who has filed his nomination as an independent candidate has also been expelled from the party.
Chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal's one-time close aide Rajendra Singh Rana was also thrown out from the party. Rana had been preparing grounds from Sujanpur constituency for the past three years. But the party shifted Hamirpur MLA Urmil Thakur to Sujanpur.
Others who have been expelled from the party include Damodar Chauhan from Nachan and Shyam Lala Thkaur from Mandi Sadar. Thakur is the president of the party's block unit. Mahant Ram Chaudhary who has filed his nomination as an independent candidate has also been expelled from the party.
Chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal's one-time close aide Rajendra Singh Rana was also thrown out from the party. Rana had been preparing grounds from Sujanpur constituency for the past three years. But the party shifted Hamirpur MLA Urmil Thakur to Sujanpur.
Former state service officer Hira Nand Kashyap's name also figured amongst those expelled from the party. Kashyap had contested the elections to Lok Sabha from Shimla parliamentary seat in 2004 against Dhani Ram Shandil of Congress.
In Mandi district, former minister and six-time legislator Roop Singh Thakur has also been expelled. Thakur is the sitting MLA from Sundernagar. In Sundernagar, the party's official nominee is Rakesh Jambwal.
"We have taken this decision with a heavy heart. All the 10 leaders have been expelled for an indefinite period," said the party's vice-president Praveen Sharma.
The party's troubleshooters are negotiating with some of the formidable rebels like Pawan Kajal in Kangra and Manohar Dhuman in Indora. "The party is still trying to persuade a few our men who are still in the fray," said Parveen Sharma. The party has asked its district and block units to identified the party workers who are working for the rebel leaders during the elections. "Once the list is prepared, the axe will also fall on the workers defying the party line," he said.