NCP Working Committee approves decision to expel Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare and nine others

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

NCP) Working Committee on Thursday approved decision to expel Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare and nine others who joined hands with NDA. Amid Maharashtra political crisis, a meeting of NCP leaders was called at the residence of party president Sharad Pawar in Delhi. Earlier today, 13 NCP leaders, including PC Chacko, Jitendra Awhad, Fauzia Khan and Vandana Chavan arrived at the residence of party chief Sharad Pawar in Delhi to attend the National Executive meeting.

«We are absolutely with Sharad Pawar. We want to rally behind him and fight for the public,» ANI quoted NCP MP Fouzia Khan as saying. Meanwhile, posters saying «In the fight of truth and lie, the entire country is with Sharad Pawar» and «India's history is such that it has never forgiven those who have betrayed» were seen outside NCP chief Sharad Pawar's residence in Delhi.

However, later it was removed by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC). With the NCP witnessing the unravelling of the party, the Pawar family feud played out on stage on Wednesday as NCP factions headed by Sharad Pawar and his nephew held rival meetings at Yashwantrao Chavan Centre in south Mumbai and in Bhujbal Knowledge City in suburban Bandra, respectively. The Election Commission has received a petition from Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar staking claim to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the party symbol, reported ANI, citing sources.

The sources said the Election Commission has also received a caveat from Jayant Patil, who is with the Sharad Pawar group. He also informed the panel that they have initiated a disqualification process against nine MLAs who joined the Eknath Shinde-BJP government in the state on Sunday. The politics of Maharashtra is on the boil since