Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 23: BJP MLA from Reasi and senior Party leader, Baldev Raj Sharma was expelled from the primary membership of the Party for second time in last three years for his anti Party activities today.
The decision to expel Mr Sharma from the Party was announced by State president of BJP Jugal Kishore Sharma here, today after consulting the Party High Command as the former failed to withdraw from the poll fray as an independent candidate from Reasi Assembly segment.
Mr Sharma is contesting elections from Reasi Assembly Constituency as an independent candidate after he was denied ticket along with other seven MLAs of the Party who were suspended earlier in 2011 for cross voting in Legislative Council elections.
The senior leadership of the Party had taken serious exception to Mr Sharma’s decision to contest elections as an independent candidate after defying the Party decision.
Recently during his two days visit to Jammu, party national president and its election strategist, Amit Shah had instructed the State leadership to tackle the dissidents on its own level and in case they fail to toe the Party line they should be expelled from the primary membership to maintain discipline in the Party.
Soon after this, the Party expelled senior Party leader Pawan Gupta and warned action against other dissidents. However Party tried to convince Mr Sharma to withdraw from contest which he refused to do warranting action against him.
It may be recalled that Mr Sharma was earlier expelled from Primary membership of the Party in 2011 along with seven other MLAs of the Party for cross voting in Legislative Council elections. However, early this year six out of seven expelled MLAs were taken back into Party fold barring the BJP Legislative Party leader, Prof Chaman Lal Gupta. However he too was taken into Party fold some days back.
Out of six expelled MLAs who were denied ticket, Jagdish Raj Sapolia, MLA, Basohli joined Congress and is contesting elections on the Party ticket while MLA Bani Master Lal Chand is also contesting elections as an independent candidate from Bani.
Sources said expelling the MLA two times within four years shows bankruptcy of State leadership which has failed to maintain discipline in the Party and keep its flock together.
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