The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has expelled four senior leaders, including a two-time Municipal Council president, for six years over alleged anti-party activities during the recently concluded Municipal Council (MC) elections in Ferozepur. The expelled leaders are former MC President Ashwani Grover, former Municipal Councillors Rajesh Kumar Nindi and Manish Dhawan, and BJP leader Rohit Dhawan.
Decision by Disciplinary Committee
District BJP President Sarabjeet Singh Bobby Bath announced that the decision was taken by the party leadership after consultations with the internal disciplinary committee. He emphasized that the BJP is a disciplined and ideology-based organization where all workers and leaders are expected to uphold the party’s principles and organizational norms. Bath stated that the party’s policies, decisions, and vision must be respected by every office-bearer and worker.
Alleged Violations During MC Polls
During the Municipal Council elections, all four leaders or their family members contested either as independents or on tickets of other political parties. Ashwani Grover ran as an independent candidate from Ward No. 28 under the leadership of former gangster-turned-politician Chandan Kumar alias Chandu. The wives of Rajesh Kumar Nindi and Manish Dhawan contested as independents from Wards No. 23 and 27, respectively. Rohit Dhawan’s wife contested as a Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) candidate from Ward No. 25.
Reactions from Expelled Leaders
Ashwani Grover stated that he learned about his expulsion through social media and that no prior notice was served to him. He said, “I joined the party in 1987 and have served it for nearly three decades. I do not wish to comment on the issue at this stage. As of now, I accept the party’s decision.” Manish Dhawan rejected the allegations, calling the action politically motivated. He claimed that his wife contested as an independent from Ward No. 27 only after her nomination papers as a BJP candidate were rejected during scrutiny. Dhawan alleged that BJP National Executive Member Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi and his son Anumit Sodhi campaigned in her favor. He accused certain leaders of trying to weaken the party from within due to vested interests.
