Madhya Pradesh will vote to elect a new government on November 28.
The Congress has expelled veteran leader Satyavrat Chaturvedi for six years after he campaigned for his son Nitin Chaturvedi, a Samajwadi party candidate in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, where the party is fighting an all-out battle to stop the BJP's bid to form the government for a fourth consecutive term.
Mr Chaturvedi has been a prominent leader of the Congress and served as a lawmaker in both houses of parliament and state assembly. He had also been party's national spokesperson, its chief whip and a key member of the Congress coordination committee in Madhya Pradesh that was formed to ensure smooth functioning of the party machinery ahead of the November 28 Assembly elections.
But Mr Chaturvedi was upset with the Congress leadership for not fielding his son from Rajnagar constituency in Chhattarpur district. As Congress decided to give ticket to sitting legislator Vikram Singh, who is seeking a fourth term, Nitin Chaturvedi switched side to become the candidate of the Samajwadi Party. The Congress candidate Mr Singh is also the grandson of erstwhile king of Chhatarpur Bhawani Singh.
Daring his party to expel him, Mr Chaturvedi started campaigning for his son. However, the veteran leader had maintained that he "was born as a Congressman and would die as one" but he "will canvas for his son" as he could not leave his son at the "mercy of others" being a "dutiful father."
Mr Chaturvedi alleged that the party was doing injustice to him for the past 15 years by denying a ticket for his son. The BJP has been in power in Madhya Pradesh for the last 15 years and is seeking a fourth straight term. Madhya Pradesh will vote to elect a new government on November 28.