Plagued by rebellion in their ranks, the ruling Congress and Opposition BJP in Uttarakhand have decided to expel leaders who defy party discipline by contesting in the forthcoming Assembly polls against official candidates.

“We are collecting details about rebels and will start expelling them for six years by tomorrow,” party spokesperson Surendra Aggarwal said. The BJP too has given a stern warning to such party rebels to retire from contest against official party candidates.

There are 26 Congress rebels contesting the elections. The party has sent senior leaders, including Union Minister Suresh Pachauri, to persuade the rebels, but to no avail. The party has also threatened not to give party tickets to any such rebel in the future.

Many of these rebels had enjoyed ministerial ranks holding offices of profit in various boards, corporations and councils. “Some such people have tendered their resignations and we have accepted them,” CM N D Tiwari said.

In the BJP, many leaders, including former MP Harpal Satthi from Haridwar, are either contesting as independents or as candidates of Uma Bharati’s Bharatiya Janshakti Party.