NCP leader Praful Patel announces Sunil Tatakre as Maharashtra NCP president; check details

NCP leader Praful Patel on Monday (July 3) announced that Sunil Tatakre has been appointed as the Maharashtra NCP President. Speaking to reporters, Praful Patel said, "Jayant Patil was made state NCP President on an interim basis. Now we have removed him and appointed Sunil Tatkare as the new Maharashtra NCP chief."

The NCP leader also announced that Anil Bhaidas Patil has been appointed as the chief whip of NCP in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.

'NCP name and symbol belong to us': Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar

Speaking to reporters, Sunil Tatkare said, "I have 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."

Earlier today, NCP Working President Supriya Sule demanded the disqualification of MPs Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare for allegedly engineering "secretive" defections. The NCP's action against the three leaders and the call for disqualifying two MPs are seen as showing an example to those who supported the rebel Ajit Pawar.

The expelled leaders are Mumbai divisional NCP chief Narendra Rathod, Akola city district chief Vijay Deshmukh and state minister Shivajirao Garje. All three had attended Ajit Pawar's oath ceremony.

NCP split: Supriya Sule asks Sharad Pawar to disqualify MPs Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare after revolt

On Sunday, Ajit Pawar was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra by Governor Ramesh Bais at the Raj Bhawan, where 9 other NCP leaders - some of whom are close aides of Sharad Pawar - attended.