Congress revokes expulsion of seven-time MLA Gangu Ram Musafir,

Shimla, May 17

The BJP finally cracked the whip on its two rebels, former minister Ram Lal Markanda and Rakesh Chaudhary who are contesting the elections as Independents against the party candidates.

The expulsion of the two leaders was ordered today by state BJP president Rajeev Bindal today as they refused to withdraw from the contest. Today was the last day for withdrawal of nominations. Sources said desperate efforts were made by the BJP to get the two to withdrawn from the contest as their presence in the contest could make a dent into the BJP vote bank.

The Congress, on the other hand, has opened its doors for expelled leaders like seven-time former MLA Gangu Ram Musafir, who had faced expulsion as he contested the 2022 polls as an Independent from Pachhad in Sirmaur.

Markanda was a minister in the last BJP regime headed by Jai Ram Thakur and had lost the 2022 Assembly election from the tribal seat of Lahaul Spiti by a margin of 1,616 votes to Congress candidate Ravi Thakur, who is now the BJP candidate after he defected to the party.