'Anti-party activities': NCP chief Sharad Pawar orders removal of MPs Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare

NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Monday sacked the party's working president Praful Patel and Lok Sabha MP Sunil Tatkare, who have sided with Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar in his rebellion, for engaging in "anti-party” activities.

The action comes a day after Ajit Pawar joined the Eknath Shinde-BJP government as deputy chief minister along with eight other NCP MLAs who were inducted as ministers. Tatkare's daughter Aditi was among the ministers who took oath on Sunday.

Sharad Pawar, in a tweet, said, "I, as the National President, of the Nationalist Congress Party, hereby order the removal of the names of Shri Sunil Tatkare and Shri Praful Patel from the Register of Members of NCP Party for anti-party activities.” He tagged Patel, a Rajya Sabha MP who was appointed as NCP working president last month, and Tatkare in his tweet.

Earlier, the party removed three MLAs for attending Ajit Pawar's swearing-in ceremony on Sunday.