Congress expels Ranjit Deshmukh

MUMBAI: Former president of the Maharashtra unit of the Congress, Ranjit Deshmukh, was on Tuesday expelled from the party for contesting as a rebel candidate in the upcoming April 9 Ramtek Lok Sabha by-poll.

“Deshmukh is being expelled from the primary membership of the party for six years,” current incumbent Prabha Rau said. Mr Deshmukh, a former Maharashtra minister, is in the fray for the by-poll against official Congress nominee Subodh Mohite, who quit the seat and the Shiv Sena recently. “We waited till the last date of withdrawal of nominations,” state Congress spokesperson said. Mr Deshmukh had said that “loyalists like him are sidelined by the Congress”., adding his party is confident of winning the seat.