The Hindu : New Delhi News : BJP expels MLA for anti-party activity

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jun 22, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

BJP expels MLA for anti-party activity

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JUNE 21. The Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party president, Harsh Vardhan, today expelled the Vishnu Garden MLA, Dayanand Chandela, from the party for indulging in "anti-party'' activities. Mr. Chandela had fielded his son, Meghraj, as a Jharkhand Mukti Morcha candidate from the Khyala ward for the coming municipal bye-elections against the official party candidate.

In a statement, Dr. Vardhan said he had written two letters to Mr. Chandela seeking a clarification on the issue. "However, Mr. Chandela failed to reply to the letters of the party president and therefore keeping in mind his anti-party activities and defiance, he has been expelled from the party for six years,'' he said. Mr. Chandela had fielded his son against the party candidate, Rajinder Singh Techno. Dr. Vardhan said at the time of selection of candidates for the bye-elections, it was the party leaders' unanimous view not to nominate any family member of Mr. Chandela and give the ticket to some other person. The Delhi unit president said he had been receiving complaints from the party workers and office- bearers of the Khayala ward and the Vishnu Garden segment that Mr. Chandela was not taking interest in the election of the official candidate and was campaigning in favour of his son. Therefore, it was felt that in order to maintain party discipline, action should be taken against Mr. Chandela. Interestingly, Mr. Chandela, an independent candidate from the Khayala ward, had been brought into the party by the former Chief Minister, Madan Lal Khurana, and given the party ticket from Vishnu Garden. He defeated the Finance Minister, Mahinder Singh Saathi.

With his expulsion, Mr. Chandela is likely to be allotted a separate seat in the Assembly.

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