NCP (SP) expels Nitesh Karale for six years for staying in Nagpur graduates' race as independent

Politics has heated up ahead of the Nagpur Graduates' constituency election. The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) has expelled Nitesh Karale from the party for six years. The reason given is that Karale did not withdraw his nomination application as an independent candidate and stayed with it.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi has made Abhijit Wanjari its official candidate for the seat. Karale nonetheless decided to contest as an independent and kept his application in place. The party then took action for breach of discipline and expelled him for six years, according to the information that has emerged.

Karale said he learnt of the expulsion from the media. He said he was accepting the party's decision, but in his view the action was wrong. After the action he appeared emotional and voiced his displeasure, recalling the work he had done for the party.

Karale said, "I addressed 110 meetings for the party. I travelled across the state campaigning in the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. I ignored my own class and worked for the party." He became emotional that action had been taken despite all this work.

Karale also expressed a suspicion that the Congress must have put pressure on the party behind the action. This is his suspicion; nothing from the party on the matter has come out in the report. The contest between the Maha Vikas Aghadi's official candidate and an independent has started discussion on the political equations in the Nagpur Graduates' constituency.

Voting is to be held on October 23. Karale said he trusts the voters. He said that after putting his view on the party's decision, the public will now respond through their votes.

How much Karale's expulsion affects the election, and whom voters choose, will become clear only after the voting.