New Delhi, Jan 24: Sharad Pawar led-NCP tonight hit back at rebel leader P A Sangma, expelling him and five others but took no action against V C Shukla who stayed away from the Sangma sponsored convention. Shortly after a convention of rebel NCP workers "replaced" Pawar and elected Sangma as its leader, the NCP disciplinary committee met on an emergency basis and expelled Sangma for "anti-party activities". Others who faced the axe were working committee members Salamutallah, Gurusharan Singh Dadawoo, B B Dutta, Bolin Kuli and Veena Nayyar, president of the NCP's Mahila wing, who were all present at the convention, NCP General Secretary Tariq Anwar said. He said the rebels indulged in "gross act of indiscipline and anti-party activities".
Praful Patel, chairman of the NCP disciplinary committee, said no action was taken against Shukla as he did not attend the convention and did not indulge in anti-party activities. He said anyone was free to leave the party on his free volition.

Bureau Report