The BJP was left red-faced after one of its senior leaders, a former Uttar Pradesh minister, offered his house in Azamgarh town, about 300 kilometres from here, to Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav to open the latter's election office.

Ex-BJP spokesman I P Singh also posted a message on his Twitter handle criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"Modi has turned into prachar mantri (publicity minister)," Singh tweeted.

Taking a serious view of Singh's remarks, the BJP expelled him from the party for six years.

"Internal democracy is no longer there in the BJP... It's a crime to speak the truth... It seems the BJP does not need grass root workers... It needs only managers,'' Singh said after his expulsion.

Singh, who was considered to be an influential 'thakur' leader in Azamgarh, had welcomed Akhilesh's decision to contest from the seat.

"Azamgarh will progress if Akhilesh wins from there," he said.