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.

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.