After video of him brandishing gun goes viral, BJP expels Uttarakhand MLA Pranav champion for 6 yrs

PTI, Jul 17, 2019, 4:32 PM IST

New Delhi: The BJP on Wednesday 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.

BJP media head and Rajya Sabha member Anil Baluni told reporters that the party has taken cognizance of his serial public misconduct and expelled him for six years. The MLA was issued a show-cause notice by the state leaders after the video appeared.

Champion was earlier suspended for three months and the suspension was extended for an indefinite period on Thursday. A notice extending the period of suspension had been issued by state BJP general secretary Anil Goyal on the directions of party president Ajay Bhatt, Uttarakhand BJP media in-charge Devendra Bhasin said in a tweet.

Champion, who is the Khanpur MLA, landed in a fresh trouble on July 10 when a video showing him dancing with guns to a popular Bollywood number in front of his cheering supporters went viral on social media, leaving the party red-faced.

Pradesh BJP president Ajay Bhatt and the incharge of the party affairs in Uttarakhand, Shyam Jaju, had reacted sharply to Champion’s conduct, saying indiscipline could not be tolerated.

“The BJP is a party which does not compromise on principles. Indiscipline by anyone cannot be tolerated,” Bhatt had said.

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

Another video had gone viral last month, in which he was seen threatening a journalist. Champion was one of the Congress MLAs who had rebelled against former CM Harish Rawat and crossed over to the BJP in 2016.