Manipur BJP expels chief spokesperson for 'breach of discipline'

Imphal, Feb 11 (IANS) Weeks before the crucial assembly elections, the ruling BJP in Manipur on Friday expelled its chief spokesperson, Chongtham Bijoy, a day after he termed the National People's Party (NPP) a "parasite that had proved a menace" to the ruling alliance in the last five years.

The NPP headed by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma is a dominant party of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government and an ally of ruling BJP in Manipur since 2017 though the two parties separately contesting the two phase assembly polls on February 28 and March 5.

According to a statement issued by Manipur state BJP President A. Sharda Devi, Bijoy was expelled from the party's primary membership for six years "for violation of the party's rules and regulation and breach of party discipline".

Soon after his expulsion from BJP, Bijoy told the media that he would be supporting Janata Dal (United) candidate of Uripok Assembly constituency Kh Suresh in the ensuing elections.

"I was denied a party ticket as I was vocal against the corruption. Without serving any show cause notice to me and following the due procedure, an expulsion order was issued against me by the party President," he said.

Bijoy, who was keen to contest the Assembly polls from Uripok, reacted sharply after a retired IAS officer, L. Raghumani, was nominated by the BJP for the assembly seat.

He claimed that Raghumani, despite being "a corrupt man", got the BJP ticket on the recommendations of the influentials.