Cong expels Sanjay Nirupam for 6 years, leader Says Expulsion Came After Resignation

In a sign of escalating tension, the Congress has earlier dropped the name of Sanjay Nirupam as a star campaigner, who castigated the Maharashtra Congress leadership for 'ceding' constituencies in Mumbai to the Uddhav Thackeray-led party during seat-sharing talks of the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance for Lok Sabha elections.

Mumbai:Amid speculation of his joining the BJP or Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Congress expelled former Mumbai MP and its leader Sanjay Nirupam for six years. Nirupam, who incurred the party's wrath over his remarks targeting the ally Shiv Sena (UBT) shot back on Thursday on X saying his expulsion came after he has resigned from the party.

Taking note of complaints of indiscipline and anti-party statements, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge approved Nirupam's expulsion from the party for six years with immediate effect, an official communication from the party said.

Incidentally, Nirupam is a former two-time Rajya Sabha MP from (undivided) Shiv Sena and an ex-Mumbai North Lok Sabha MP of the Congress. Sensing his banner of revolt, the state Congress also dropped him from the LS state list of the party's star campaigners on Wednesday.

Sanjay Nirupam, who took a swipe at the Congress leadership over his expulsion on X, said, "Looks like, immediately after the party received my resignation letter last night, they decided to issue my expulsion. Good to see such promptness."

Congress dropped Nirupam's name as a star campaigner, indicating that the crisis was escalating. Nirupam then launched a sharp attack, saying as the party was experiencing a "serious financial crisis", it should utilise the stationery and energy to save itself. The demand for action against Nirupam grew after he castigated the Maharashtra Congress leadership for "ceding" constituencies in Mumbai to the Uddhav Thackeray-led party during seat-sharing talks of the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance for Lok Sabha elections.

"The Congress has dropped Nirupam's name from the list of star campaigners and disciplinary action has been initiated against him for his utterances against the party and the state unit leadership," state unit president Nana Patole had told reporters after attending a meeting of the party's campaign committee in Mumbai.

Making light of the party's action, Nirupam raised the "serious financial crisis" in Congress, apparently alluding to the Income Tax Department's action for tax demand. "It (Congress) should utilise the stationery and energy to save itself, as the party is experiencing a serious financial crisis. The time frame I had given to the party ends today. I will spell out my next course of action tomorrow," he tweeted.

A former MP from Mumbai North, Nirupam had hit out at the state leadership of Congress after the Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray declared its candidates for four out of six Lok Sabha seats in Mumbai, including the Mumbai North West seat, which Nirupam is eyeing.

He had also said the Congress leadership shouldn't allow itself to be arm-twisted by Shiv Sena (UBT). Accepting the Shiv Sena (UBT's) decision to unilaterally field candidates in Mumbai amounted to allowing the destruction of Congress, the former Mumbai Congress president had claimed.

A former Shiv Sainik, Nirupam quit Shiv Sena in 2005. He took up the cause of north Indian hawkers and subsequently made his way into Congress. In 2009, he successfully contested from Mumbai North seat. Nirupam lost the 2014 elections from the same constituency against BJP's Gopal Shetty.