Nagpur: In a strategic move ahead of the upcoming local body elections, the Congress party on Tuesday revoked the suspension of senior Vidarbha leader and former Maharashtra minister Rajendra Mulak, nearly a year after disciplinary action was taken against him for contesting the 2024 Assembly polls as an independent candidate.
Party sources indicated that the decision reflects Congress’ broader plan to consolidate support and realign internal equations within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, particularly in Vidarbha. The announcement was made in Delhi in the presence of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Maharashtra in-charge Ramesh Chennithala.
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Welcoming Mulak back, MPCC President Harshwardhan Sapkal stated, “We have formally revoked the suspension of Rajendra Mulak and welcome him back into the Congress family.”
Mulak, son of veteran leader late Bhausaheb Mulak, was among 28 rebels suspended in November 2024 for defying the alliance’s seat-sharing agreement and filing his nomination from Ramtek, where MVA had fielded Vishal Barbate of Shiv Sena (UBT). Despite the suspension, Mulak campaigned actively for Congress candidates in Saoner, Kamptee, and Umred, alongside former minister Sunil Kedar, which reportedly softened the party’s stance towards him.
In a related development, Yajnavalkya Jichkar, son of former minister Shrikant Jichkar, whose suspension was revoked in April, had faced similar disciplinary action last year for contesting independently from Katol, a seat allotted to Salil Deshmukh, son of NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Anil Deshmukh, under the MVA agreement.
Abha Pandey reinstated by NCP (Ajit)
Meanwhile, in a parallel development, the NCP (Ajit Pawar) faction, which is part of the Mahayuti alliance, also revoked the suspension of former Corporator Abha Pandey. Pandey had contested the Assembly elections from East Nagpur as a rebel after being denied a party ticket. The alliance had fielded Krishna Khopde of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from the seat.
Pandey, a former member of the State Women’s Commission, has now been reinstated into the party following internal deliberations.
Political observers see both decisions as part of efforts by rival alliances to strengthen their respective camps ahead of high-stakes civic polls in the region.
