HP Cong expels 23 more for anti-party activities

DHARAMSHALA: The Himachal Pradesh Congress on Wednesday removed 23 leaders for six years over charges of anti-party activities in the recently concluded assembly elections.

Those expelled include 13 from Kangra district, six from Mandi and four from Solan district.

Prominent among those who have been booted out are Yadopati Thakur from Sarkaghat assembly segment of Mandi district, Malender Rajan from Indora constituency and Balbir Chaudhary from Shahpur of Kangra.

Yadopati Thakur, the state general secretary in the Youth Congress, was in the ticket race from Sarkaghat assembly segment, but the party picked Pa wan Thakur as the nominee.

Yadopati also remained the state president of NSUI and considered close to Vikramaditya Singh, the president of youth Congress. He was also appointed director of sports and youth service department and forest department in outgoing Congress government. Malender Rajan, who was seeking a ticket from Indora (SC-reserved) constituency, was also expelled. Rajan was earlier expelled from the party after 2012 election when he contested as an independent against party nominee Kamal Kishor.

Balbir Chaudhary is a promi- nent OBC leader of the Shahpur assembly segment. He was considered close to vice-chairman of forest corp Kew al Singh Path ania, who was also the party candidate from Sh a hp ur assembly segment in this election. This election, Ch aud ha ry, shifted loyal ties to Major Vijai Singh Mankotia, the former minister who contested election as an independent.