Opposition lawmaker Gennady Gudkov was ousted from Russia’s lower house of parliament on Friday over charges he said were “payback” for his involvement in anti-Kremlin protests, RIA Novosti reported.

His expulsion after an at times stormy State Duma session came ahead of a mass rally set for central Moscow on Saturday against the twelve-year rule of President Vladimir Putin.

Gudkov, 56, and his son, Dmitry, 32, also a State Duma lawmaker with the A Just Russia party, are among a handful of members of parliament who have joined forces with an opposition movement that has seen an uneasy alliance among liberal, communist, and nationalist forces.

Gudkov, a former KGB colonel, was accused of engaging in commercial activity while serving as a lawmaker, which is forbidden under Russian law.

United Russia’s parliamentary group and lawmakers from the nationalist Liberal Democratic Party voted for Gudkov’s expulsion, which was approved by 291 members of parliament, almost 70 more than the minimum required.

Gudkov told journalists he would appeal to Russia's Supreme Court.