Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Monday ordered removal of MP Praful Patel and MP Sunil Tatkare from the party for 'anti-party activities'.
This decision comes a day after the two senior leaders attended the oath taking ceremony of Ajit Pawar and other NCP leaders as minister in Shinde-Fadnavis government.
Sharad Pawar, taking to Twitter, wrote, "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."
The tweet by Sharad Pawar came shortly after the party's working president MP Surpiya Sule wrote to him requesting removal of the two leaders and seeking disciplinary action against them.
"Mr.Sunil Tatkare and Mr. Praful Patel on 2nd July 2023 acted in direct contravention of the Party Constitution and Rules, amounting to desertion and disqualification from the party membership, " Sule wrote on Twitter.
"I request Hon. @PawarSpeaks Saheb to take immediate action and file disqualification petitions under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution of India before the Competent Authority against Members of Parliament- Mr. Praful Patel and Mr. Sunil Tatkare for engaging in anti-party activities," she added.
Both Patel and Tatkare, once considered loyal lieutenants of Sharad Pawar, took everyone by surprise when they attended the oath taking ceremony of the rebel MLAs along with Ajit Pawar.
Sharad Pawar on Sunday had told Tatkare and Patel to take a discplinary action against their moves or he "will be forced to take action".
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