Congress expels 8 Gujarat MLAs for cross-voting

Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot. PTI Photo

All three MLAs have tendered their resignation in support of Shankersinh Vaghela, who also quit as leader of the opposition.

Cracking down on dissidents in Gujarat, the Congress on Wednesday expelled for six years eight of its MLAs who cross-voted in yesterday's Rajya Sabha elections. (In Pics: Amit Shah with BJP leaders)

The Gujarat Congress spokesman Manish Doshi said the eight MLAs were expelled for cross-voting in favour of BJP candidates defying the whip issued by the party.

BJP chief Amit Shah on Wednesday acknowledged that the party could not get enough votes as expected that led to Balwantsinh Rajput, the party's third candidate, losing the Rajya Sabha polls from Gujarat.

"We have expelled them for six years as they defied the party whip and cross-voted. We will take action against them under the anti-defection law also," said Gujarat Congress chief Bharatsinh Solanki. (In Pic: P Chidambaram and RS Surjewala)

AICC general secretary incharge of Gujarat unit Ashok Gehlot said he has also recommended the expulsion of six of its legislators who had earlier resigned as MLAs. Three of them had later joined BJP.

Vaghela, a former chief minister, had resigned from the Congress and the post of leader of the opposition in the Assembly weeks ahead of the RS elections, but not from the House.