Rajasthan Assembly elections 2018: BJP expels 11 rebel leaders

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday expelled 11 rebel leaders from its Rajasthan unit for contesting against the official party candidates in the upcoming Assembly elections. 

The leaders are Surendra Goyal, Lakshminarayan Dabe, Radheshyam Ganganagar, Hemsingh Badhana, Rajkumar Ridwa, Rameshwar Bhati, Kuldeep Dhankad, Deendayal Kumavat, Kishanram Nai, Dhansingh Rawat, and Anita Katara.

11 rebel leaders of Rajasthan BJP have been expelled from the primary membership of the party for 6 years for contesting against the official party candidates in the upcoming #RajasthanAssemblyElection2018. pic.twitter.com/e4SWHAmkkd — ANI (@ANI) November 22, 2018

Meanwhile, BJP MLA Gyan Dev Ahuja was reinstated in the party as the state vice president. 

Ahuja had earlier stepped down from BJP after being denied the party ticket. He had filed nomination as an independent candidate. 

Ahuja was on Thursday reinstated in the party.

BJP had released its 5th list of candidates for Rajasthan Assembly elections 2018 on Sunday and had placed State Minister Yunus Khan against Congress State chief Sachin Pilot.

The BJP fielded Transport Minister and Deedwana legislator Khan in place of sitting MLA Ajit Singh Mehta from Tonk constituency. The party considered the change in the strategy for Tonk seat after the Congress fielded Pilot from the constituency.

The 200-member Assembly polls are scheduled to be held on December 7 in Rajasthan. The counting will be held on December 11.