NCP chief Sharad Pawar sacks Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare for 'anti-party activities'

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar on Monday sacked Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare from party for anti-national activities.

“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,” Pawar tweeted, a day after his nephew Ajit Pawar and eight other NCP MLAs joined BJP-Shiv Sena coalition government in Maharashtra.

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

Patel held the post of NCP's national working president, while Tatkare was the party's national general secretary.

The removal of Patel and Tatkare came moments after NCP working president and daughter of Sharad Pawar demanded their disqualification for indulging in "anti-party activities" in connection with the induction of Ajit Pawar and eight MLAs in the Eknath Shinde government.

Tatkare, whose daughter Aditi Tatkare was made a minister, and Patel were present at the oath taking ceremony in Raj Bhavan on Sunday.

"I write with great urgency to inform you that two Members of Parliament of Nationalist namely Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare, have acted in violation of our constitution, rules of our party and have also indulged in anti-party activities by facilitating and spearheading swearing of the oath of nine MLAs as cabinet ministers of government of Maharashtra," Sule said in a letter addressed to Sharad Pawar.

She further said that Patel and Tatkare acted in complete violation of NCP's direction and principles as they "openly made statements to this effect before the media".

"This decision of the 2 (two) Members of Parliament to support the 9 (nine) MLAs has been taken without the permission of the party president (Sharad Pawar) and without taking all members into confidence," the letter read.

Sule further said the behaviour of both Patel and Tatkare was abundantly clear that they no longer share the aims and ideology of the NCP.

"They have acted in direct contravention of the party constitution and rules to further their own personal ambitions. Their actions are also a direct betrayal of the mandate given by the electorate and party," Sule said.

Earlier on Monday, NCP sacked three party leaders - divisional NCP chief Narendra Rathod, Akola city district chief Vijay Deshmukh and state minister Shivajirao Garje - for attending Ajit Pawar's oath-taking ceremony.

“This act (attending Ajit Pawar's swearing-in ceremony) is against party discipline as well as party policy," NCP said in a statement.

On Sunday, Ajit Pawar took oath as the deputy chief minister in the Eknath Shinde government. Eight other party lawmakers were also sworn in as ministers.

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