The BJP on Saturday expelled rebel leader Jaswant Singh from the party for six years. The former Union Minister and an old guard of the party has been shown the door for contesting as an independent candidate from Barmer in Rajasthan against BJP’s official candidate.
The party cracked the whip after Singh refused to withdraw from the race on the last date of withdrawal of nomination on Saturday.This is the second time that Singh has been expelled from the BJP. He was expelled from the BJP in 2009 for praising the founder of Pakistan in his book Jinnah — India, Partition, Independence. The praise had received widespread criticism. Singh was, however, re-inducted into the party 10 months later in a move orchestrated by senior BJP leader lK Advani.
According to BJP’s constitution, any party man contesting against official candidate is liable to be expelled.Party sources said that the BJP leadership has taken serious views about growing indiscipline in the party and wanted to send an exemplary message that such behaviour would not be tolerated at any cost.
The BJP has also expelled another rebel leaders, Subhas Maharia. Former Union Ministers Maharia filed his nomination as Independent from Sikar parliamentary constituencies after BJP denied him a ticket.