Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 16 : Congress expelled Jayshri Patil from the party for 6 years for contesting as an independent candidate against the party's official nominee in the Sangli constituency in Maharashtra.
"In the Maharashtra State General Assembly Election 2024 in 282 Sangli Assembly Constituency, you are contesting the election as an independent candidate while the official candidate of the Congress party is contesting," the official statement said.
"Since this act of yours violates party discipline. On the instructions of Congress state President Nana Patole, you have been suspended from the Congress party for the next 6 years," it added.
Earlier, Nana Patole suspended 16 rebel candidates of the Congress party for a period of six years for contesting against the official candidates of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
The suspended leaders include Sonal Kove, Abhilasha Gavature, Premsagar Ganvir, Ajay Lanjewar, Vilas Patil, Hanskumar Pandey, Kamal Vyavhare, Mohanrao Dandekar, Mangal Bhujbal, Manoj Sinde, Vijay Khadse, Shabir Khan, Avinash Lad, Yajnavalkya Jichkar, Rajendra Mulak and Anandrao Gedam.
The action comes days after Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala had said all the party rebels contesting against the official candidates of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will be suspended for six years.
Rebel Congress leader Mukhtar Shaikh has withdrawn his nomination as an independent from the Kasba Peth assembly constituency and lent support to the official Maha Vikas Agadhi (MVA) candidate Ravindra Dhangekar for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections. He said that he had received several calls of reassurances from Congress' leadership, which led to the withdrawal of his nomination.
Maharashtra polls are scheduled for November 20 and counting will be held on November 23. As the elections for the 288 seats in the Assembly approach closer, the political battle between the two major alliances, the Mahayuti and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), intensifies.