MUMBAI: The Congress has decided to take disciplinary action against the seven Congress MLAs who cross-voted in the recent Maharashtra Legislative Council elections. “These MLAs will be expelled from the party in the next two days,” a senior Congress leader said, wishing not to be named.
Congress leader K C Venugopal on Friday said the party has taken action against the MLAs who cross-voted in the biennial elections to 11 seats of the Maharashtra legislative council last week. “Action has been taken against the MLAs who cross-voted and you will see the result in future. Discipline is very important,” Venugopal told reporters after attending a meeting here to review the party’s preparations for the upcoming Maharashtra legislative assembly elections and to decide its poll strategies
“A group of senior MLAs from the Maharashtra Congress has written to the party high command, demanding immediate action against MLAs who cross-voted in the MLC elections. The MLAs said even those who followed the party’s orders are under scanner due to the actions of the seven MLAs who cross-voted,” Venugopal said.
Congress, which has 37 MLAs, had fixed a quota of 30 first preference votes for its candidate Pradyna Satav, and seven remaining votes were to go to Milind Narvekar, candidate of the ally Shiv Sena (UBT). Eventually, Satav got 25 and Narvekar 22 first preference votes, which meant at least seven Congress MLAs cross-voted.
“We got solid evidence and proof of these seven Congress MLAs cross-voting for the opposite candidate. Last time, the same set of MLAs who are close to former chief minister Ashok Chavan cross-voted in MLC elections where Congress candidate Chandrakant Handore lost. Now, we will not spare them.
Strict action will be taken by these MLAs to set the example for other elected representatives. The report is with the Congress president and in the next two days, he will take decision over it,” said a senior congress leader who requested anonymity. Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole called those who cross-voted ‘traitors’.
‘Solid evidence’
A senior Congress leader said that the party has solid evidence and proof of these seven Congress MLAs cross-voting for the opposite candidate. He added that strict action will be taken by these MLAs