The Maharashtra unit of Congress has expelled senior leader and former state minister Satish Chaturvedi from the party for "promoting" rebel candidates during the last year's Nagpur Municipal Corporation elections. The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), in a letter to Chaturvedi yesterday, said it had received complaints alleging that he supported rebel Congress leaders to defeat the party's official candidates in the civic polls.

A show-cause notice was issued to him but he didn't reply, said the letter. Subsequently, the president of Nagpur District Congress Committee conducted an inquiry and "the report findings confirmed your involvement in promoting rebel Congress candidates" which led to the defeat of party-nominated candidates, the MPCC said. "Hence, action is being taken against you," it said. Chaturvedi couldn't be contacted for a reaction.