Supriya Sule Asks Sharad Pawar To Disqualify MPs Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare After Revolt

Praful Patel was present at the oath ceremony at Raj Bhavan on Sunday, where Ajit Pawar and eight other NCP leaders joined the Eknath Shinde-led government in Maharashtra.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar with senior leader Praful Patel during the party's foundation day celebrations ( Image Source :PTI )

NCP working president Supriya Sule, in a letter to party chief Sharad Pawar, recommended disciplinary action against MPs Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare on Monday, saying the duo indulged in "anti-party activities by facilitatiing and spearheading" the swearing in of nine MLAs as Cabinet ministers in the Maharashtra government. 

Praful Patel was present at the oath ceremony at Raj Bhavan on Sunday, where Ajit Pawar and eight other NCP leaders joined the Eknath Shinde-led government in Maharashtra. Ajit Pawar was sworn in as the deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra -- a post he will share with BJP's Devendra Fadnavis.

In her letter to Pawar, Sule said Tatkare and Patel acted in direct contravention of the party Constitution and rules, amounting to desertion and disqualification from the party membership.

"I request Sharad Pawar 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 - Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare - for engaging in anti-party activities," Sule further said.

Sule said the defections were done in a secretive manner, without the knowledge or consent of the party president, and amount to desertion of the party which in turn invites disqualification. "With this, it has become abundantly clear that the said MPs no longer share the aims and ideology of the NCP," Sule said.

Praful Patel, known to be a close aide of Sharad Pawar, was elevated to the post of NCP's working president along with Supriya Sule on the 24th Foundation Day of the party last month.

Tatkare, whose daughter Aditi took oath as minister on Sunday, was appointed as the national general secretary of NCP.

Earlier in the day, Patel said, "We are the NCP and that is what we are doing." When asked about rumours that he may be made a Union Minister, Patel said, "We have not discussed anything about Delhi, we have only discussed about the formation of our government in Maharashtra."

In 2019, the CBI questioned had Praful Patel in connection with alleged corruption in giving profitable routes of Air India to private airlines based in West Asia. Patel was the Civil Aviation Minister during the UPA regime.