Congress in Rajasthan on Wednesday expelled its former intellectual cell vice president Manchand Khandela who had described All India Congress Committee president Sonia Gandhi [Images] as a "manipulative maharani".

The Pradesh Congress Committee, at an emergent meeting in Jaipur, took a strong exception to Khandela's writings and decided to expel him from the party forthwith, PCC chief B D Kalla told media persons.

Kalla, who had released Khandela's book Sonia Gandhi and Indian Politics, said since he took over the party presidentship in the state, the intellectual cell had been wound up and Khandela was not holding any post at the time of release of the book.

Khandela was just an ordinary member of the party, Kalla said adding, the chapters in the book were manipulated after he had released it in August 2004.

Asked whether the party president sought any explanation from him on this matter, Kalla said a copy of the book had been sent to the AICC.

If required, a legal action would be taken against the writer, Kalla said charging him with fraudelently incorporating the chapters containing the remarks against Sonia.

It was Pradesh Mahila Congress president Mamta Sharma who had recommended the book for release, Kalla said.