BJP expels Uttarakhand MLA Kunwar Pranav Singh Champion after video of him brandishing guns goes viral

The BJP on Friday expelled its Uttarakhand MLA Pranav Singh Champion after a video emerged online on Wednesday, showing him dancing with guns. The video subsequently went viral on social media.

BJP MLA Pranav Champion who was recently suspended from the party for threatening a journalist, seen in a viral video brandishing guns. Police says, "will look into the matter and also verify if the weapons are licensed or not." (Note: Abusive language) pic.twitter.com/AbsApoYR2g

— ANI (@ANI) July 10, 2019

The video also features a few of Singh’s aides dancing around him. According to a report by India Today, the celebration was to mark his “homecoming after a leg operation”. The BJP on Thursday had extended the suspension of Champion for an indefinite period, a day after a video showing him dancing with guns went viral on social media, which had caused embarrassment to the party. Champion’s three-month suspension has now been extended for an indefinite period, Uttarakhand BJP media in-charge Devendra Bhasin said in a tweet. While BJP national media in-charge Anil Baluni heavily criticised Singh’s behaviour and told ANI, “ I’ve seen that video. I condemn it. These kinds of complaints came against Champion earlier as well, that’s why he was suspended for 3 months. We’ll talk to Uttarakhand unit about it. Strict action will be taken.” Champion was in the news a couple of months ago for publicly indulging in a war of words with another BJP MLA Deshraj Karnawal, challenging him to a wrestling bout. Another video had gone viral last month, in which he was seen threatening a journalist. Champion was one of the Congress MLAs who had rebelled against former chief minister Harish Rawat and crossed over to the BJP in 2016.