The Shiromani Akali Dal on Thursday expelled its Ropar MP Sukhdev Singh Libra from the party for defying the party whip to vote against the UPA government during the confidence motion.
"Libra had been expelled from the party for his anti-party activities and defying the party whip by abstaining from the trust vote," president of Shiromani Akali Dal Sukhbir Singh Badal said.
There is no place for Libra in the party, Sukhbir said.
Earlier, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had also lashed out at Libra for abstaining during the trust vote.
On the other hand, Libra, a close associate of late Shiromani Gurudawara Parbhandhak Committee President Gurcharan Singh Tohra, has said he is prepared for any sacrifice for the country and its people.
"The nuclear deal is in favour of the country and for me country's interest comes before the party," Libra said.
"I am a faithful soldier of the Akali Dal and preferred to abstain during the voting as my conscience did not permit me to vote against a Sikh Prime Minister," he said.
Taking a dig at Sukhbir Badal's reported allegation that Libra sold himself for Rs 20 crore, the MP said "had I been an opportunist, I would have accepted plenty of deals offered to me by Badal."
"Before levelling allegations at me, Badal must look at himself as at one point of time he himself had admitted that the deal will help in generating more energy and put the country on the path of fiscal stability.
