Greek govt MP expelled from party- source

Greece's ruling conservatives expelled a dissident party member on Tuesday, reducing its ranks to 151 seats in the 300-member house, a senior parliamentary source said.

The move comes days after Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis challenged rebels within his New Democracy party, who have criticised its liberal reform agenda, to either topple his government or fall silent.

Parliamentarian Stavros Dailakis defied the call and on Monday asked for government spokesman and Minister of State Theodore Roussopoulos to resign in the wake of a series of scandals that have rocked the government.

"By expelling him, the ruling party has lost one member in parliament but if (Dailakis) now resigns his seat its majority can stay the same as he will be replaced," said the parliamentary official, who asked not to be identified, confirming reports on state television.

Dailakis told Greek media early on Tuesday that he was willing to resign if he was dismissed from the party, to allow the government to preserve its position.

The government fell behind the opposition Socialist party in opinion polls this month for the first time since taking office in 2004 amid frustration at an economic slowdown, a series of scandals, unpopular reforms and tax increases.