HP polls: BJP suspends nine members including former minister

Trying to discipline party rebels and turncoats, the Bharatiya Janata Party [ Images ] in Himachal Pradesh [ Images ] has suspended nine members including a former minister and accepted the resignation of another leader who switched over to the Bahujan Samaj Party.

Former minister Roop Das Kashyap and former MLA Rakesh Pathania were suspended when they refused to withdraw their nominations from Kusumpti in Shimla district and Nurpur assembly constituencies on the last date of withdrawal today.

Karan Singh, who served as the education minister in the P K Dhumal government in 1998-2003, left the party and decided to contest from Banjar seat for Mayawati's [ Images ] BSP after being denied the BJP ticket.

Leaders Anita Dhiman and Hira Lal have also been suspended from the BJP for six years for filing nominations against official candidates in the December 19 assembly polls, state party chief Jairam Thakur said in a statement.