BJP expels 6 MLAs for cross-voting in JK Council polls

Jammu, Nov 18: The BJP today (Nov 18) expelled six of its MLAs for defying the party whip in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly and approached the Speaker to disqualify them from the House for cross-voting in the Legislative Council polling.

Those who have been expelled from the party with immediate effect are Bharat Bhushan, Gharu Ram Bhagat, Durga Das, Baldev Raj, Jagdish Sapolia and Lal Chand, state BJP spokesperson Nirmal Kamal told reporters here today.

Former BJP Legislature Party leader Chaman Lal Gupta has already been expelled from the primary membership of the party for six years for "gross indiscipline". Gupta was expelled on May 31 after seven of the 11 BJP MLAs voted for the NC-Congress alliance candidates in the April 13 polling for the Upper House.

New BJP Legislature Party Leader Jugal Kishore said the Speaker has already been approached to disqualify them from the membership of the House under the anti-defection law. "We have written to the Election Commission and the Speaker of JK Assembly in this regard," Kamal said. The BJP had earlier suspended these seven MLAs from the party and referred the matter to its Central Disciplinary Action Committee.

PTI