File photo of Jaswant Singh
, 76, has been expelled by the BJP for refusing to change his mind about running as an independent candidate for Parliament from Barmer in Rajasthan. (
Read letter)
Mr Singh has been expelled for six years. In 2009, he had been removed from the party because it felt his book cheer-led Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan.
Mr Singh was, however, re-inducted into the party 10 months later in a move orchestrated by senior BJP leader LK Advani.
In an interview to NDTV days ago, Mr Singh broke down when discussing his party's failure to back him. Yesterday, BJP chief Rajnath Singh indicated to NDTV that if Mr Singh didn't withdraw his nomination papers as an independent and drop out of the Barmer election, there would be consequences. (
Read more)
Mr Singh won the last national election from Darjeeling in West Bengal. He said he wanted to relocate to Barmer, where he was born, because he felt he may not contest another election after this one.
The party refused, choosing Col Sonaram Choudhary who switched sides just weeks ago from the Congress to the BJP. The retired army officer is a Jat, the dominant caste in the region. Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje championed his candidature, according to party sources. (
Read: Vasundhara Raje flaunts Sonaram, reminds Jaswant Singh of 'family values')
Apart from Mr Singh, another BJP leader Subhas Maharia too has been expelled by the party. He too had filed nomination from Sikar against the BJP's official candidate.
Maharia had served as minister of state for rural development, in Vajpayee government.