BJP expels Uttarakhand MLA Pranav Singh Champion

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday (July 17) expelled its Uttarakhand MLA Pranav Singh Champion from the party for six years, days after a purported video of the legislator brandishing guns and dancing at a house party became viral on social media.

Uttarakhand BJP chief Ajay Bhatt had last week served a show-cause notice on Champion, who was already suspended from the party, asking why he should not be expelled from the party. Champion was suspended from the BJP last month for three months. He was accused of threatening a journalist at Uttarakhand Niwas in New Delhi.

Stating that indiscipline could not be tolerated in the party, Bhatt said, “The BJP is a party which does not compromise on principles. Indiscipline by anyone cannot be tolerated.” BJP’s media in-charge and Rajya Sabha member Anil Baluni told reporters that the party has taken cognizance of his public misconduct and expelled him for six years.

The MLA is no stranger to controversies. He was also in the news a couple of months ago for publicly indulging in a war of words with BJP MLA Deshraj Karnawal from Jhabreda constituency and challenging him to a wrestling bout.

Champion was among the Congress MLAs who had rebelled against Harish Rawat and crossed over to the BJP in 2016.