The Congress on Saturday expelled Adampur MLA Kuldeep Bishnoi from all party positions after he openly cross-voted against official Congress nominee Ajay Maken in Rajya Sabha polls held on Friday.
In a letter, Congress general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal, wrote, "Honble Congress President has expelled Shri Kuldeep Bishnoi from all his present party positions including the post of special invitee in Congress working committee with immediate effect."
Kuldeep Bishnoi has cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha polls, which led to party candidate Ajay Maken's defeat in Haryana. Two Congress MLAs cross-voted in Haryana as the party candidate got only 29 votes out of 31 and Independent candidate backed by BJP, Kartikeya Sharma defeated him with a slight margin.
Bishnoi, meanwhile, had tweeted a cryptic message which read: "I have the capability to crush snakes' hood, do not leave the jungle in the fear of snakes."
Bishnoi was upset with the party after he was denied state President post and had said he will only take a decision after meeting Rahul Gandhi which did not take place.
The loss in Haryana has put Bhupinder Singh Hooda in a tight spot and party leadership is likely to take a view on it as he had promised to win the seat for the party.
BJP nominee Krishan Lal Panwar and Independent candidate Kartikeya Sharma emerged victorious. Earlier, the two had written to the Election Commission alleging that Congress MLAs -- Kiran Choudhary and B.B. Batra -- showed their ballot papers to unauthorised persons after marking them, but the EC rejected their objections and counting was restarted.
Of the 90 members in the Haryana Assembly, 89 cast their votes, officials said. Independent legislator Balraj Kundu abstained from voting.