NCP vs NCP: Sharad Pawar expels Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare; Ajit-Patel faction appoints new Maharashtra NCP chief

Soon after NCP President Sharad Pawar removed Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare for anti-party activities, the Ajit Pawar faction appointed Tatkare as the Maharashtra party president. Earlier this evening, Sharad Pawar in a tweet said: "I, as the National President, 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."

Moments after this tweet, NCP's senior leader and Rajya Sabha MP Praful Patel announced that his faction had appointed Sunil Tatkare as the new party president for Maharashtra. He also said that Ajit Pawar was elected as the Leader of NCP in the Assembly. Sunil Tatkare will have the authority to make organisational changes in the party, Patel said during a press conference. Sunil Tatkare's daughter Aditi Tatkare was among the NCP leaders who took oath as ministers on Sunday.  

Sunil Tatkare said he has taken over as the State president of the Nationalist Congress Party. "I will strengthen the party in Maharashtra. I have taken into confidence all leaders of the party. I have also called a meeting of all the legislators and zila parishad leaders," he said. 

Ajit Pawar said the party and its symbol belonged to the rebel faction. "We have taken this decision for the betterment of Maharashtra," Ajit Pawar said. He said a majority of the NCP MLAs were with him, that is why "I became Deputy CM". He also said that Sharad Pawar is the NCP's National President. 

Praful Patel said Anil Patil will continue to be NCP's whip in Maharashtra Assembly. Praful Patel was recently appointed by Sharad Pawar as the national working president of the NCP. There is a buzz that he may soon get a berth in the Modi Cabinet in Delhi. 

Earlier today, NCP's Supriya Sule said Sunil Tatkare and Praful Patel on Sunday acted in direct contravention of the Party Constitution and Rules, amounting to desertion and disqualification from the party membership. She requested her father and party chief Sharad Pawar to take immediate action and file disqualification petitions against Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare for "engaging in anti-party activities".