Former Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–Former Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili has mysteriously been removed from the political council of Georgia’s ruling party.

As PM, Kvirikashvili had a leading role in the advisory body of the ruling party. But he resigned his position abruptly on June 13, citing disagreement with Georgian strongman Bidzina Ivanishvili.

His removal from the political council has not been given a clear explanation to the public so far.

The list of political council members is published on its official website. On Thursday, journalists discovered that instead of 15 members it now contains only 14 and ex-Prime Minister Kvirikashvili’s name is missing.

He has not yet commented, which led to speculations that he has been kicked out of the council. However, the GD members of parliament flatly deny that, maintaining that he himself asked to be removed.

“The claim that he was expelled is not true,” vice-speaker of parliament Tamar Chugoshvili said. “Since the majority of the parliament of Georgia has decided to change PM, it’s natural that the current PM will occupy this place in the political council.”