Raj Cong expels 28 leaders in fray as independents

JAIPUR:The Congress in Rajasthan Sunday expelled 28 rebels, including nine former legislators, from the party for six years after they refused to withdraw their nominations filed to contest the upcoming assembly elections as independent candidates.

Former ministers Mahadev Singh Khandela and Babu Lal Nagar have also been expelled, the party said in a statement.

The former MLAs expelled who have been expelled include Sohan Nayak (contesting as an independent from Raisingh Nagar), CS Baid (Taranagar), Ramesh Chand Khandelwal (Neem Ka Thana), Ramesh Khinchi (Kathumar), Ramkesh Meena (Gangapur City), Nawal Kishore Sharma (Bamanwas), Nathuram Sinodia (Kishangarh), Khusveer Singh Jojavar (Marwar Junction) and Sanyam Lodho (Sirohi), according to an official note released by party’s state general secretary (organisation) Mahesh Sharma. Sinodia is also a former district president of the party.

The others expelled are former governor Kamla Beniwal’s son Alok Beniwal from Shahpura (contested and lost twice in row), former district president Prithvi Pal Singh Sandhu (Karanpur), Om Bishnoi (Sadulshehr), Rajkumar Gaur (Ganganagar), Pusaram Godara (Ratangarh), Santosh Meghwal, a village Pradhan, from Sujangarh, Laxman Meena (Bassi), Deepchand Kheriya (Kishangarh Bas), Ajit Singh (Mahua), Jaggannath Burdak (Ladnu), Rajesh Kumawat (Jaitaran) and Bhimraj Bhati (Pali).

Godara was the party’s assembly candidate from Ratangarh in the 2013 assembly polls.

The others expelled from the party on Sunday are Vikram Singh Shekhawat, who contested and lost from Vidhyadhar Nagar (Jaipur) in the last two elections, secretary Jagdish Chouhary (Ahore); pradhan Reshma Meena (Salumber); and former chairperson of the Nomadic Tribe Welfare Board Gopal Keswat (Shahpura).

Earlier in the day, the state’s Youth Congress also expelled eight members.

National general secretary and Rajasthan in-charge of Youth Congress Devendra Kadyan expelled four people who are contesting against the official party candidates — Maqsood Khan from Kaman, Hemant Vijay (Chaksu), Dhramraj Mehra (Baran) and Pradhyuman Singh Ranawat from Mandal.

The office bearers expelled for working against party candidates are Praveen Vyas, assembly president of Shahpura; Bhairulal Meena, district YC president of Sawai Madhopur; Suresh Bijaniya, officiating president, Jaipur (rural); and Madan Salvi, officiating president, Bhilwara.