BJP expels eight MPs for defying whip

That the party saw the largest number of defections came as a matter of shock to most of the senior leadership. The eight MPs are Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, Somabhai Patel, Manjunath Kannur, HT Sangliana, Manorama Madhwaraj, Chandrabhan Singh, Haribhau Rathore and Babubhai Katara.

While the leader of the Opposition L K Advani said the government seemed to have given up all semblance of honesty, integrity and morality, party president Rajnath Singh confessed to being completely stunned by the developments.

In an exclusive chat with Business Standard he said all MPs expelled today had repeatedly assured the party of their loyalty in the run-up to the trust vote.

"We spoke to them whenever we heard any rumour and they all routinely denied they would defy the party whip. We are, however, confident that the people who watched this business would teach them an appropriate lesson," Singh said.

He added the party was trying to take lessons from the trust vote and defections, the largest the BJP has ever seen.

"In future we will exercise precaution in the selection of candidates. Winnability is a huge factor for consideration but a candidate's history, character and image will also be carefully scrutinised, more than before," he said.

Even then Singh confessed there was nothing much the party could do in such situation. "Everyone is different in nature and character. If any political party takes recourse to such means to engineer defections, then every party is vulnerable, and not just us," he said. "We have only lost MPs; the government has lost its moral right to continue, they are the bigger culprits," he added.

Even the RSS is worried about the large-scale defections. RSS Sarsanghchalak KS Sudershan called up senior leaders of the party last night to enquire about the incidents.

In fact, some in the RSS argue that after the three BJP MPs had flashed the bribe being allegedly offered them in full public view and in the House, the BJP should have walked out.

"This would have hidden the defections and the embarrassment and we could have occupied a moral high ground," said a source.