The BJP has expelled eight leaders from Haryana for a period of six years after they chose to contest the upcoming state Assembly elections as independent candidates. Among those expelled is former minister Ranjit Singh Chautala, who left the party after being denied a ticket for the Rania constituency, which he previously represented as an independent MLA.

The Haryana BJP, led by state chief Mohan Lal Badoli, announced the expulsions, which take effect immediately. The expelled leaders include Sandeep Garg (Ladwa), Zile Ram Sharma (Assandh), Devender Kadian (Ganaur), Bachan Singh Arya (Safidon), Radha Ahlawat (Meham), Naveen Goel (Gurugram), and Kehar Singh Rawat (Hathin).

Chautala had resigned from his Assembly membership before joining the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year. He unsuccessfully contested from Hisar in those elections. The Haryana Assembly, consisting of 90 members, is set to hold elections on October 5, with results expected on October 8. The BJP aims to secure a third consecutive term in the state.
In a related development, the Haryana Congress also expelled 13 leaders for "anti-party activities" due to their decision to run as independents. Both parties have faced dissatisfaction among members over ticket allocations but have managed to address most grievances.

The BJP's decision to expel these leaders is part of an effort to maintain discipline within the party as they prepare for the upcoming elections.