Congress expels 8 Gujarat MLAs for violating party whip in RS polls

All the eight MLAs are close to senior leader Shankarsinh Vaghela who quit the party before the Rajya Sabha elections.

The Congress on Wednesday expelled eight of its MLAs for violation of its whip during the Gujarat Rajya Sabha elections held on Tuesday.

The party will also expel six more MLAs in coming days. "Eight Gujarat Congress MLAs have already been expelled from the party. Six more have been expelled from the party for violation of the whip in the Rajya Sabha polls," said Gujarat Congress in-charge Ashok Gehlot to ANI.

Asserting that indiscipline will not be tolerated in the Congress, Gehlot said those expelled were indulging in anti- party activities.

Gehlot, a former chief minister of Rajasthan, said the party will strengthened further ahead of the state Assembly elections due later this year.

The Gujarat Congress spokesman Manish Doshi said the eight MLAs were expelled for cross-voting in favour of BJP candidates defying the whip issued by the party.

Acoording to the sources, all the eight MLAs are close to senior leader Shankarsinh Vaghela who quit the party before the Rajya Sabha elections.

In a battle of prestige, Patel beat the Bharatiya Janata Party nominee after Election Commission reject the votes of two dissident MLAs of the main opposition party for violating electoral rules. Voting for the three Rajya Sabha seats was conducted on Tuesday.

OneIndia News