As BJP rebel becomes Korba civic body chief, party issues showcause notice to Chhattisgarh minister

Raipur, Mar 10 (PTI) The BJP on Monday issued a showcause notice to Chhattisgarh minister Lakhan Lal Dewangan in connection with a party rebel getting elected as Korba Municipal Corporation chairperson.

The election to the post was held on March 8, with BJP corporator Nutan Singh Thakur defeating the party's official candidate Hitanand Agrawal.

While Thakur secured 33 votes and independent candidate Abdul Rehman 18 votes, Agrawal stood at third position with 16 votes. There are 67 corporators, including 45 of BJP, 11 of Congress and 11 independents, in Korba municipal corporation.

The notice issued to Dewangan by BJP state unit general secretary Jagdish Ramu Rohra said the statement given by the minister in the media after the completion of the chairman election process in Korba Municipal Corporation comes under the purview of breach of discipline.

As per the instructions of state unit president Kiran Singh Deo, Dewangan must submit a reply in 48 hours, it added.

Dewangan, the state's Commerce and Industry minister Dewangan, who represents Korba assembly seat, had congratulated Thakur.

"I would like to congratulate Nutan Singh on being elected as 'sabhapati' (chairperson) of Korba municipal corporation. He was elected as BJP corporator. The party had declared Hitanand Agrawal as its candidate for the post but our corporators united and unanimously supported Nutan ji. We accept their decision," Dewangan had said.

Dewangan had also said everyone must accept the decision of the corporators to vote for Thakur instead of Agrawal.

Earlier in the day, the state BJP expelled Thakur from the party's primary membership for a period of six years. PTI COR TKP BNM