BJP suspends Khurana from primary membership

New Delhi, Mar 19: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today suspended its senior leader and former Rajasthan Governor Madan Lal Khurana for anti-party activities, party Vice-President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said.

The decision to suspend Mr Khurana from the primary membership of the party was taken by BJP president Rajnath Singh, said Mr Naqvi.

The suspension came within hours of Mr Khurana throwing a challenge to the party leadership at a news conference this afternoon to expel him for joining expelled leader Uma Bharti's rally at the Ramlila Maidan on Tuesday.

Earlier addressing a crowded news conference at Diwan Chand Trust office at Connaught place, barely a km from both BJP central office and state party office, Mr Khurana had said that he was prepared for expulsion. ''I am prepared for expulsion, but I can not see the capital city being ruined due to the demolition drive by the municipal authorities,'' he said and added that he was joining Ms Bharati's rally to raise his voice to stop the demolitions.

The BJP chief, who is currently on a visit to Chennai, took the decision to suspend Mr Khurana for repeatedly indulging in anti-party activities, party sources said.

The suspension takes immediate effect, the sources said.

Mr Khurana said he was feeling suffocated in the BJP for the past one-and-a-half years as some leaders were not pro-poor and were working against the interests of the common people in the capital.

UNI