Vadodara: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday expelled Ashish Joshi, a corporator from Ward 15 of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC), from the party, citing his actions as “tarnishing the party’s image.”

City BJP Chief Jayprakash Soni, in a letter expelling Joshi from the primary membership of the party, stated, “On several occasions, your conduct and behavior have tarnished the party’s image. You were served a show-cause notice regarding this matter. However, there has been no improvement in your behavior, and it has been confirmed that you were involved in activities that have damaged the party’s image at various places.”

“In view of these matters, and as per the directive of the State President, you are hereby expelled from the active and primary membership of the Bharatiya Janata Party,” the letter added.

Joshi had previously behaved rudely with then-Municipal Commissioner Dilip Rana during a general board meeting over issues related to the cleaning of the drainage system.

More recently, Joshi’s name surfaced in connection with a controversy where two women affected by the Harni boat tragedy were allegedly sent to a municipal event, attended by the Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, to create a ruckus. He had reportedly given instructions to the women on what to say at the event and what to tell the CM. Taking these repeated anti-party actions into account, the party has expelled him.

Along with Joshi, former corporator Arvind Prajapati has also been suspended from the party on charges of indiscipline. DeshGujarat