Sanjay Nirupam says he quit before Congress boot; to declare next move today

Former MP Sanjay Nirupam on Thursday (April 4) took a swipe at the Congress leadership over his expulsion, claiming it was done after he sent his resignation letter to the party.

Taking note of complaints of indiscipline and anti-party statements, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge late on Wednesday evening approved Nirupam’s expulsion from the party for six years with immediate effect.

Nirupam's tweet

On Thursday morning, former Mumbai Congress chief Nirupam said in a post on X, “Looks like, immediately after the party received my resignation letter last night, they decided to issue my expulsion. Good to see such promptness.”

In the letter to Kharge, Nirupam said, “I have finally decided to fulfil your much-awaited desire and hereby announce that I chose to resign from the primary membership of the All India Congress Committee.”

The former MP from Mumbai who incurred the party’s wrath over his remarks targeting the ally Shiv Sena (UBT) said he would announce his next decision on Thursday (April 4). Media reports suggest he may join the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

Congress action

The party's action against him came on Wednesday (April 3) after the Maharashtra unit of the Congress initiated disciplinary action for his recent remarks targeting Maha Vikas Aghadi member Shiv Sena (UBT) in the state.

“Taking note of complaints of indiscipline and anti-party statements, Congress president (Mallikarjun Kharge) has approved the expulsion of Sanjay Nirupam from the party for six years with immediate effect,” an official communication from the party said.

Why the action

The Congress has dropped the name of Nirupam as a star campaigner.

The demand for action against Nirupam grew after he castigated the state leadership for “ceding” constituencies in Mumbai to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena during seat-sharing talks for the 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 party president Nana Patole told reporters after attending a meeting of the party’s campaign committee in Mumbai on Wednesday evening.

Dig at Congress

Making light of the party’s action, Nirupam raised the “serious financial crisis” in the Congress, apparently alluding to the Income Tax Department’s action for tax demand.

“It (Congress) should utilise its 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 said in a post on X.

About Mumbai North West

The former MP from Mumbai North, Nirupam, had hit out at the state leadership of the Congress after the Shiv Sena (UBT) declared its candidates for four out of six Lok Sabha seats in Mumbai, including the Mumbai North West seat, which Nirupam was believed to be eyeing.

He had also said the Congress leadership shouldn’t allow itself to be arm-twisted by the Shiv Sena (UBT).

Accepting the Shiv Sena (UBT’s) decision to unilaterally field candidates in Mumbai amounted to allowing the destruction of the Congress, the former Mumbai Congress president had claimed.

Nirupam’s past

Nirupam had quit the 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.

(With agency inputs)