Cong expels rebel leader Balbir Singh Sidhu

Congress today expelled Balbir Singh Sidhu for "anti-party activities" after he refused to withdraw himself from the electoral fray in Punjab, the 18th rebel candidate to be removed from the party.
Sidhu, the rebel candidate from Talwandi Sabo Assembly constituency, "is expelled for anti-party activities with immediate effect", according to a party statement.
Sidhu is the 18th rebel candidate of the Congress to be expelled for refusing to withdraw from the poll race.
However, earlier in the day, heeding to Amarinder's appeal, rebel Congress candidate from Bassi Pathana seat Harnek Singh Diwana announced his decision to withdraw himself from the poll race in favour of the official Congress nominee Gurpreet Singh GP.

Harnek, who was Secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), announced his withdrawal from the elections, saying he would whole-heartedly support Gurpreet in the interest of the party and the state.
Harnek, a close confidant of late Punjab Minister Captain Kanwaljit Singh, had resigned from the primary membership of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in 2009 to join Congress.
An ex-serviceman, he had filed his nomination papers from Bassi Pathana after being denied the Congress ticket.