NCP split: No right to appoint after expulsion, Awhad tells Patel, Tatkare

Mumbai: Nationalist Congress Party leader Jitendra Awhad on Monday said Rajya Sabha MP Praful Patel and Lok Sabha member Sunil Tatkare do not have the right to make appointments in the organisation as they have been "expelled" from the party.

Earlier in the day, NCP chief Sharad Pawar had said the names of Patel and Tatkare had been "removed from the membership register of the party".

The NCP chief had accused them of anti-party activities, including spearheading and facilitating the defection of Ajit Pawar and eight MLAs, who joined the Eknath Shinde government on Sunday.

Asserting that Sharad Pawar was the NCP national president, Awhad said, "The NCP constitution, which is recognised by the Election Commission of India, gives complete powers to the national president to suspend or dismiss any member, removing him from the membership right if he (president) is convinced that serious damage will be caused to the party unless such action is taken immediately." Awhad added that "any such action shall be forwarded to the central disciplinary committee for approval".

Awhad was speaking to reporters on Monday evening after Patel and Tatkare along with Ajit Pawar claimed Sharad Pawar alone cannot decide on their party membership.

"If these leaders (Ajit Pawar faction) still admit that Sharad Pawar is their (party) national president, then how can they challenge his decisions? If you are expelled from the party, you have no constitutional right to make any new appointments," he said.

Showing Sharad Pawar's letter in which he has given details of the action against Patel and Tatkare, the Mumbar-Kalwa MLA said, "These leaders have no legal right to take such decisions. These leaders were already informed about the decision by Sharad Pawar." Soon after being removed as NCP working president, Patel on Monday evening announced the appointment of Lok Sabha MP Sunil Tatkare as the party's state unit chief, replacing Jayant Patil, and Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar as its legislature wing leader.

Patel told a press conference here he had informed Jayant Patil to hand over the charge to Tatkare On Sunday, Jayant Patil had appointed Awhad as Leader of Opposition in the Assembly and the chief whip of the party after Ajit Pawar joined the Shinde government.