Chandigarh: The BJP on Sunday expelled as many as eight of its `rebel’ leaders for contesting as independents against the party's candidates in poll-bound Haryana.

Haryana has assembly elections on October 5 and the results would be out on October 8.

The ``rebels’’ who have been expelled for six years include its former minister Ranjit Chautala and former MLA Devender Kadiyan.

Though an independent MLA, Chautala, who had supported BJP and even joined BJP in recent past, and was made a minister, is contesting from Rania seat after he was denied BJP ticket; he had also unsuccessfully fought Hisar Lok Sabha election in June, this year.

Kadiyan is fighting as an independent from Gannaur seat.

Other ``rebels’’ leaders include Sandeep Garg who is contesting against chief minister Nayab Saini in Ladwa constituency, and local leaders are Zileram Sharma (from Assandh), Bachan Singh Arya (from Safidon), Radha Ahlawat (Meham), Kehar Singh Rawat (Hathin) and Naveen Goyal who is contesting from Gurugram seat as an independent after he was denied party ticket, was convenor of BJP state Trade Cell.

It may be recalled that the Congress too had 22 rebels in a two-day exercise till Saturday; they included five MLAs, namely, Sharda Rathore, a former MLA from Ballabhgarh, Rohita Revri, Panipat City, Rajkumar Valmiki, Nilokheri (SC), Harsh Kumar, Hathin and Lalit Nagar, Tigaon.The BJP on Sunday expelled as many as eight of its `rebel’ leaders for contesting as independents against the party's candidates in poll-bound Haryana.

Haryana has assembly elections on October 5 and the results would be out on October 8.

The ``rebels’’ who have been expelled for six years include its former minister Ranjit Chautala and former MLA Devender Kadiyan.

Though an independent MLA, Chautala, who had supported BJP and even joined BJP in recent past, and was made a minister, is contesting from Rania seat after he was denied BJP ticket; he had also unsuccessfully fought Hisar Lok Sabha election in June, this year.

Kadiyan is fighting as an independent from Gannaur seat.

Other ``rebels’’ leaders include Sandeep Garg who is contesting against chief minister Nayab Saini in Ladwa constituency, and local leaders are Zileram Sharma (from Assandh), Bachan Singh Arya (from Safidon), Radha Ahlawat (Meham), Kehar Singh Rawat (Hathin) and Naveen Goyal who is contesting from Gurugram seat as an independent after he was denied party ticket, was convenor of BJP state Trade Cell.

It may be recalled that the Congress too had 22 rebels in a two-day exercise till Saturday; they included five MLAs, namely, Sharda Rathore, a former MLA from Ballabhgarh, Rohita Revri, Panipat City, Rajkumar Valmiki, Nilokheri (SC), Harsh Kumar, Hathin and Lalit Nagar, Tigaon.