Dehradun, March 21 (PTI): The Congress on Monday expelled Saket Bahuguna, son of former chief minister Vijay Bahuguna, and Anil Gupta, the party’s joint secretary, for six years for “anti-party” activities.

Saket was among the nine members of the legislative assembly who have rebelled against the Harish Rawat government and sparked a crisis by creating an opening for the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party.

Kishore Upadhyay, president of the state unit of the Congress, said the disciplinary committee recommended to the Pradesh Congress Committee that Saket and Gupta be expelled on the basis of their statements published in newspapers and broadcast by news channels.

Considering the activities of Saket, who was a two-time Lok Sabha candidate from Tehri seat, and Gupta as ”anti-party”, the PCC accepted the recommendation of the disciplinary committee and expelled them for six years.

Upadhyay said that the party would not accept indiscipline and strict action will be taken against those who violate discipline.

Uttarakhand Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal had issued notices to nine rebel Congress MLAs on Sunday asking them why they should not be disqualified from the House.

The notices were issued following a request from party chief whip and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Indira Hridayesh seeking action against them for violating the party whip in the state Assembly during voting on the Finance Bill.

The notices have been pasted on the walls of the houses of the MLAs concerned, which asks them to submit their replies to the Speaker by March 26 evening.

However, Ajay Bhatt, president of the BJP’s state unit and leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, said the Speaker should step down as a notice of no-confidence has already been moved against him.

Before the crisis unfolded, the Congress had 36 MLAs in the 70-member Assembly. The ruling party also has the support of six members of the Progressive Democratic Front, while opposition the BJP has 28 MLAs.