Sanjay Nirupam Claims He Quit Congress Before Party Expelled Him

Former Congress Sanjay Nirupam who was expelled from the party a day ago on Thursday claimed that the disciplinary action against him came following his resignation from the party's primary membership.

In a post on X, the former MP from Mumbai North shared a screenshot of his letter to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and said the Congress party decided to issue his expulsion soon after receiving his resignation letter last night.

"Looks like, immediately after the party received my resignation letter last night, they decided to issue my expulsion. Good to see such promptness. Just sharing this information. I will give detailed statement today between 11.30 to 12 PM," Nirupam posted on X.

In his letter to Kharge, Nirupam wrote, "I have finally decided to fulfil your much-awaited desire and hereby announce that I choose to resign from the primary membership of All India Congress Committee. This communication may be considered as my resignation letter. Kindly acknowledge the same."

The senior leader was expelled from the Congress for "indiscipline" and "anti-party statements," Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal said in a statement on Wednesday night.

"Taking note of the complaints of indiscipline and anti-party statements, the Hon'ble Congress President has approved the expulsion of Shri Sanjay Nirupam from the party for six years with immediate effect," Venugopal said.

Nirupam was removed from the list of star campaigners for the Congress party in Lok Sabha general elections 2024 earlier in the day.

The action was taken for his recent remarks against INDIA block partner, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) amid seat sharing talks for the Lok Sabha election.

Shiv Sena (UBT) declared its candidate Amot Kirtikar will contest from Mumbai North West, a seat that Sanjay Nirupam was keen to contest from.

Nirpuam, who had represented Mumbai North in 2009 in the Lok Sabha, said that the decision of the Shiv Sena to field candidates in Mumbai was meant to sideline the Congress.

With 48 Lok Sabha seats, Maharashtra is the second-largest contributor to the lower house of Parliament after Uttar Pradesh.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 23 out of 25 contested seats, while the undivided Shiv Sena secured 18 seats. The undivided NCP, part of the opposition alliance, contested 19 seats and won four.