Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar has ordered the removal of MPs Sunil Tatkare and Praful Patel, who have sided with Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar in his rebellion, from the Register of Members of the NCP Party.
In a tweet, Sharad Pawar said the two MPs have been removed from the NCP for "anti-party activities". The NCP chief's action comes hours after NCP MP Supriya Sule also demanded their disqualification.
In response, Patel announced that Tatkare will replace Jayant Patil as the NCP state president and that Jayant Patil has been sacked.
In a press conference, he said that Anil Patil will continue to be NCP's whip in Maharashtra Assembly.
Praful Patel, a Rajya Sabha MP had been appointed as NCP working president last month.
Sharad Pawar earlier today expelled Mumbai divisional NCP chief Narendra Rathod, Akola city district chief Vijay Deshmukh and state minister Shivajirao Garje for attending the oath ceremony of his nephew Ajit Pawar as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister on Sunday.
Sunil Tatkare, whose daughter Aditi Tatkare was made a minister, and Praful Patel were present at the oath-taking ceremony in Raj Bhavan on Sunday.
Dealing a major blow to his uncle Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar on Sunday took oath as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra while eight MLAs of NCP joined as ministers.
Earlier today while talking to reporters, Patel said the decision to join the state government was taken for the welfare of the state and the country. "Joining the Maharashtra government was a collective decision taken by NCP for the development of the state, country and in view of the able leadership of PM Modi.," Patel told PTI.
Patel echoed Ajit Pawar saying, "If NCP can align with Shiv Sena then why not with BJP? There are no ideological differences".
Patel also took potshots at Congress and Rahul Gandhi while referring to the Patna meeting of Opposition parties. "I had been to Patna for the meeting of opposition parties. I saw what happened there. In the main opposition party Congress there is confusion about whether Rahul Gandhi is the leader or not. We don't know who runs that party," Patel said, as quoted by PTI.
When asked whether he had ditched NCP chief Sharad Pawar, the former Union minister told PTI, "I am thankful to NCP and Pawar saheb for all that I got in the party."
Sharad Pawar on Sunday had said he was not upset with anybody but slammed leaders Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare for "abandoning" the guidelines of the party president and taking a "wrong path".
ALSO READ
(With PTI inputs)