Mumbai, July. 03: After Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar expelled Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare for anti-party activities, the Ajit Pawar faction has appointed Sunil Tatkare as Maharashtra party president.
In a tweet on Monday evening, Sharad Pawar said, “I hereby order the removal of the names of Sunil Tatkare and Praful Patel as National President of the Nationalist Congress Party from the register of NCP party members for anti-party activities.”
Moments after this tweet, senior NCP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Praful Patel announced that his faction had appointed Sunil Tatkare as the new party president in Maharashtra. Ajit Pawar has been elected as the leader of NCP in the assembly.
Praful Patel said in a press conference that Sunil Tatkare will have the authority to make organizational changes in the party. Sunil Tatkare’s daughter Aditi Tatkare is among the NCP leaders who took oath as ministers on Sunday. Sunil Tatkare has assumed office as the state president of the Nationalist Congress Party.
“I will strengthen the party in Maharashtra. I have taken all the party leaders into confidence. I have also called a meeting of all MLAs and Zilla Parishad leaders,” said Sunil Tatkare.
I, as the National President, Nationalist Congress Party hereby order removal of the names of Shri Sunil Tatkare and Shri Praful Patel from the Register of Members of NCP Party for anti-party activities.@praful_patel @SunilTatkare
— Sharad Pawar (@PawarSpeaks) July 3, 2023
Ajit Pawar said that the party and its symbol belong to the rebel faction and we have taken this decision for the good of Maharashtra. “Most of the NCP MLAs are with him, that’s why I became the Deputy Chief Minister,” he said. He also said that Sharad Pawar is the National President of NCP.
Praful Patel has said that Anil Patil will continue as NCP’s Whip in the Maharashtra Assembly. Praful Patel was recently appointed as National Working President of NCP by Sharad Pawar. Rumor has it that he will soon get a seat in Narendra Modi’s cabinet in Delhi.
Earlier on Monday morning, NCP’s Supriya Sule alleged that Sunil Tatkare and Praful Patel on Sunday had acted against the party’s constitution and rules. It was said to be tantamount to quitting and disqualification from party membership. He had requested his father and party chief Sharad Pawar to take immediate action and file a disqualification petition against Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare, who were “indulging in anti-party activities”.
