Delhi BJP welcomes partymen expelled during civic body polls last year

The party is taking an undertaking from the rebels to ensure that they genuinely want to join the party, Delhi BJP general secretary Ravinder Gupta said.

In the run up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Delhi BJP has opened doors to rebel partymen who were expelled during civic body polls last year, after taking an undertaking from them that they will not indulge in any anti-party activity in future.

BJP flags at party headquarters in New Delhi. (Mohd Zakir/HT PHOTO)

The party had fielded fresh faces in the elections for the three municipal corporations in 2017, denying tickets to all sitting councillors. Protesting the move, many sitting councillors and those who did not get ticket had revolted against the party and contested elections independently.

Taking action, the Delhi BJP had expelled over 80 partymen.

“We have allowed rejoining of such rebel leaders and workers after taking an undertaking from them that they will not indulge in anti-party activity and obey decisions of top leadership,” Delhi BJP general secretary Ravinder Gupta said.

The party is taking an undertaking from the rebels to ensure that they genuinely want to join the party, said Gupta, the in charge for the task of rejoining the partymen.

“Nearly 50 rebels who were expelled last year during municipal corporation elections have rejoined the party after committing in writing to refrain from any anti-party activity,” he said.

Majority of these leaders had contested civic polls against the BJP candidates, but many of them lost the elections, paving way for their decision to return back to the BJP, Gupta pointed.

Anita Chaudhary, Niki Singh, Sandhya Verma, Mahesh Atri, Indrapal Rana, Ashok Tayal, Jai Prakash Lohia, Pankaj Singh are some of the leaders who have rejoined the party, he said.

The BJP has started work for the 2019 Parliamentary elections with “Namo Again” slogan and the rejoinings will boost the party in Delhi where it will face the challenge to retain the seven Lok Sabha seats it had won in 2014, Gupta added.