Tejashwi Yadav's Party Expels 27 Leaders For Anti-Party Activities Ahead Of Bihar Polls

The Rashtriya Janata Dal, the principal challenger to Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in Bihar, on Monday expelled 27 leaders from the party for six years, accusing them of anti-party activities. 

The move comes as Bihar is celebrating Chhath festival and just days before it goes to polls. Polling will be held in two phases: November 6 and 11. The votes will be counted on November 14.

Those expelled include sitting MLAs, former legislators and key functionaries at state and district levels. 

The party said the expelled leaders had either contested as independent candidates or campaigned against party nominees in various constituencies across the state.

In another development on Monday, the BJP expelled four rebel leaders from the party for six years, accusing them of indiscipline and anti-party activities.

As part of the seat-sharing arrangement, both the BJP and JD(U), alliance partners, are contesting 101 seats each. It is for the first time that both parties are contesting an equal number of seats since 2005. 

Earlier, Nitish Kumar's party, the JDU, expelled 16 rebel leaders in two days for anti-party conduct.

Those removed included senior figures such as former Minister Shailesh Kumar, sitting MLA Gopal Mandal, and former MLAs Shyam Bahadur Singh and Sudarshan Kumar, along with several former MLCs and local leaders.

JD(U) state General Secretary Chandan Kumar Singh issued the expulsion orders, stating that these leaders were acting against the party and alliance interests.

Political observers view these expulsions as a coordinated effort by NDA partners to curb internal rebellion and present a united front ahead of the high-stakes assembly polls in Bihar.