BJP cracks down on rebels in Haryana, expels 8 leaders for contesting as Independents

The Haryana BJP on Sunday expelled 8 leaders from the party for 6 years for contesting the upcoming state assembly elections as independent candidates against the party candidates. The list includes the names of former minister Ranjit Chautala and former MLA Devendra Kadyan. Chutala is contesting from Rania, while Kadyan is fighting from Gannaur. Among others are Sandip Gard (Ladwa), Jileram SHarma (Assandh), Bachhan Singh Arya (Safidon), Radha Ahlawat (Maham), Naveen Goyal (Gurugram), and Kehar Singh Rawat (Hathin).

The saffron party is facing a big rebellion in Haryana, with several leaders, after being denied tickets, have taken a poll plunge as independents. 

Former power minister Ranjit Singh Chautala threw his hat in the ring as an Independent from Rania in Sirsa district after the BJP denied him a ticket. Son of former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal, Ranjit Chautala also resigned as a Cabinet minister after the ticket was denied to him.

Chautala had contested the 2019 Assembly election as an Independent candidate from Rania after allegedly being "ignored by the Congress" and had announced support to the BJP when the counting of votes was still on. He formally joined the BJP in March this year after resigning as MLA and was fielded by the saffron party in the Lok Sabha elections from Hisar but was defeated by Congress’ Jai Parkash.

Naveen Goyal, the former BJP State Convenor for the Trade Cell, quit the party after he was denied a ticket and is contesting the polls from Gurgaon as an Independent. Other prominent rebels who could cause trouble for the BJP include Devender Kadian from Ganaur, Zile Ram Sharma from Assandh, Deepak Dagar from Prithla, Kehar Singh Rawat from Hathin, Jasbir Deswal from Safidon, Kehar Singh Rawat from Hathin, Kalyan Chauhan from Sohna, among others.