Overview

• Praful Patel sent July 4 letters suspending Kerala legislators A.K. Saseendran and Thomas K. Thomas for six years and demanding their resignation or face disqualification under the People’s Representation Act and Anti-Defection Law.
• Both legislators have refused to resign, filed affidavits in the Supreme Court pledging loyalty to Sharad Pawar’s faction, and rejected Patel’s letters as invalid under the party constitution.
• The state unit has maintained its partnership with the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front and ruled out joining Ajit Pawar’s NDA-aligned faction.
• The Kerala Assembly Speaker is now tasked with determining the MLAs’ status, while the Supreme Court prepares to deliver its final ruling on the NCP name and symbol.
• The dispute follows the Election Commission’s 2023 decision recognizing Ajit Pawar’s group as the official NCP and renaming Sharad Pawar’s faction as NCP (SP).