BHOPAL: In major action against rebels days ahead of assembly elections, the BJP on Thursday expelled 53 leaders from the party for "indiscipline". Those expelled include senior leader Sartaj Singh, who defected into the Congress after being denied ticket, former minister Ramkrishna Kusmaria, who announced that he will contest as independent and Bhind MLA Narendra Kushwaha.

Former Gwalior mayor Samiksha Gupta, Lata Mehsaki, Dheeraj Pateria and Raj Kumar Yadav were also shown the doors. Sameeksha Gupta has announced that she has quit the party and will be contesting the November 28 Assembly election in Madhya Pradesh as an independent.

Sartaj Singh, two-time MLA from Seoni-Malwa who wept openly after his name did not figure in BJP's list, joined the Congress last week and was immediately named as its nominee for the Hoshangabad Assembly seat.

The ruling BJP and the opposition Congress have faced rebellion in the party on the issue of ticket declaration. Both parties went into damage-control mode and asked rebels to withdraw from the fray in Madhya Pradesh. The state has a 230-member Assembly and sources from both parties believe that these rebels could prove to be the decisive factor in 30-odd seats.

The Congress has been out of power in Madhya Pradesh since 2003. The incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government is seeking a fourth straight term.