I was never expelled, it's a blatant lie, says Sandeep Dikshit on Sambit Patra's remark

Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit on Thursday slammed BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra over his comment that Dikshit was previously expelled from the party and then taken back.

In a sharp retort to Patra's remark, Dikshit accused the BJP leader of speaking "blatant lie", as reported to news agency ANI. He reiterated that no such incident took place. Dikshit further asked Patra to apologise within 24 hours and warned of legal notice to the BJP leader if he fails to do so.

"Sambit Patra in his press conference today said that I was once expelled and then taken back in Congress. It is a blatant lie, no such thing happened. I give him 24 hours to apologize or else I will send a legal notice," said Dikshit.

Earlier in the day, the BJP leader in a press conference had accused the Congress saying that when the party takes disciplinary action against its leaders they first expel them and then after elections bring them back by promoting them in the party. He pointed out the instances by taking the name of senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyer and Sandeep Dikshit. 

However, Dikshit has refuted the allegations. 

In 2017, Congress president Rahul Gandhi had reprimanded a Dikshit for likening Army Chief General Bipin Rawat to a "goon on the street", a remark over which the BJP demanded an apology from no less than its chief Sonia Gandhi. Rahul had said the remark by Diskhit, an ex-Lok Sabha MP from East Delhi and son of former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, was "absolutely wrong".