The NCP on Friday suspended its senior leader and former Minister Suresh Dhas for six years for indulging in the “anti-party activities” in the recent polls to the posts of president and vice-president in the Beed Zilla Parishad.
“There are complaints that you supported to Opposition parties in Beed zilla parishad presidential and vice-presidential elections. This was despite the fact that you had instructed strictly to follow the party discipline,” the NCP stated in its suspension letter issued to Dhas.
It may be recalled that in the polls to the posts of Beed Zilla Parishad president and vice president held on March 21, Dhas had extended his open to the group of newly elected BJP members led by State Rural Development Pankaja Munde and ensured the defeat of the local NCP headed by the leader of the Maharashtra legislative Council and Pankaja’s estranged cousin Dhananjay Munde.
Pankaja, who is engaged a bitter war with cousin Dhanjay, had enlisted the support of Dhas to gain control over the Beed Zilla Parishad.
The BJP’s Pankaja -- who had suffered a setback in the ZP polls held last month – had ngineered defections in the NCP with the help of Dhas and had her candidates installed as the President and vice president of the Beed Zilla Parishad in the polls held on Tuesday.
Pankaja’s victory over Dhananjay, who is the leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra legislative council, should been seen in the light of the fact that though the NCP with 24 seats had emerged as the single largest party in the polls to the 60-member Beed ZP polls held in February this year, it was Pankaja-led BJP with 20 seats that captured the posts of the president and vice
Given Dhas’ proximity to Pankaja, one should not be surprised if the former joins the BJP in the coming days.