Uttarakhand Minister Sacked Amid BJP Infighting Ahead Of Polls

Reports of Harak Singh Rawat being unhappy with the BJP leadership have swirled for weeks

Just weeks ahead of the Uttarakhand assembly elections, the BJP on Sunday expelled Harak Singh Rawat, a minister in the state government, from the party.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami has also written to the governor about removing Mr Rawat from the cabinet, party leaders said.

The BJP has removed Mr Rawat from its primary membership for anti-party activities, according to them.

He had been pushing for tickets for several of his family members and he has also been in touch with the Congress to return to the party, sources in the BJP were quoted as saying by news agency PTI.