Patna, Oct. 27 -- The ruling Janata Dal (United) in Bihar has expelled 16 leaders, including a sitting legislator and two former ministers, in a crackdown on rebellion in party ahead of the assembly elections. Most of these leaders have entered the poll fray against official National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidates. The JD(U) charged the rebel leaders with "anti-party activities" and violation of party ideology. The expulsions were announced in two separate communications issued on late Saturday and on Sunday. Among those who have been expelled is Narendra Niraj alias Gopal Mandal, the sitting MLA from Gopalpur in Bhagalpur district, who had recently staged a dharna in front of CM's residence in Patna after learning that the party was going to drop him from the list of candidates. Mandal filed his nomination papers as an independent candidate after he was replaced by Bulo Mandal, an RJD turncoat, by the party. Besides Mandal, Sanjeev Shyam Singh-a former MLC contesting the Gurua assembly seat in Gaya district on a ticket from Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party-and former minister Himraj Singh, who is fighting from Katihar as an independent, were also named in the communication issued on Sunday. "These expelled leaders were working against the officially declared candidates of the party and other NDA constituents. They were defying our ideology," a JD(U) leader said, requesting anonymity. Bihar assembly polls will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11....