Cong suspends MLC Sudhir Tambe after he withdraws candidature for Maha legislative council polls

The Congress on Sunday suspended its Maharashtra leader Sudhir Thambe, days after he withdrew from the biennial legislative council poll race despite being named the party's official candidate and announced that his son will be in the fray from the constituency currently represented by him.

In a release issued by the party, Tariq Anwar, member-secretary, Disciplinary Action Committee, AICC, said with the approval of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, the committee has decided to place Tambe under suspension, pending an enquiry against him.

In an embarrassment for the Congress ahead of the Maharashtra legislative council polls, Tambe withdrew himself from the contest on Thursday and said his son will be in the fray from the constituency represented by him.

Elections to the graduates' and teachers' constituencies of the council will be held on January 30 and Thursday was the last day for filing nominations.

Tambe, the brother-in-law of former state Congress chief and former Maharashtra revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat, has been representing the Nashik Division Graduates' constituency in the Upper House of the legislature for the last three terms (18 years) and was renominated by the party from the seat for a fresh term.

Announcing the withdrawal of his candidature, Tambe had said his son Satyajit will contest the polls as the party has decided to promote youngsters in politics.

However, on Thursday, Satyajit Tambe filed his nomination as an independent candidate and asserted that he was still associated with the Congress even as he sought support from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is part of the Eknath Shinde-led coalition government in the state.

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Friday said the party will not support Satyajit Tambe in the legislative council polls.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)