BJP expels its gun-toting MLA from party

The BJP Wednesday expelled its gun-totting Uttarakhand MLA Kunwar Pranav Singh Champion from the party for six years.

"Champion has been expelled from the primary membership of the BJP for six years by the party's central disciplinary committee," Pradesh BJP media chief Devendra Bhasin said.

His expulsion comes into effect immediately, he added.

An MLA from Khanpur assembly segment of the state, Champion's expulsion came close on the heels of a video, in which he is seen dancing to the tunes to a raunchy Bolywood number with several guns in his hands and one hanging from his shoulder, going viral last month.

While dancing, he was also seen in the video sipping drinks from a glass to his supporters' loud cheers.

The party expelled Champion after finding his response to the party's disciplinary panel notice to him on his gun-toting video "not satisfactory", said Bhasin.

The BJP had suspended Champion last month from the party for three months on charges of indiscipline.

Champion's suspension had followed preliminary investigations by the party into charges of indiscipline against him, including that of threatening a journalist at Uttarakhand Niwas in New Delhi.

He had also publicly indulged in a war of words with BJP MLA from Jhabreda, Deshraj Karnawal, 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.