The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Sunday night intensified disciplinary actions by suspending seven additional rebel candidates for anti-party activities ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. The newly suspended leaders include -- Shamkant Saner, Rajendra Thakur, Aba Bagul, Manish Anand, Suresh Kumar Jethliya, Kalyan Borade, and Chandrapaul Chauksey.
Earlier in the day, the MPCC suspended 21 other rebels, bringing the total number of suspensions to 28 across 22 constituencies. The list of previously suspended leaders includes -- Anandrao Gedam, Shilu Chimurkar, Sonal Kove, Bharat Yereme, Abhilasha Gavature, Premsagar Ganvir, Ajay Lanjewar, Vilas Patil, Aasma Javad Chikhlekar, Hanskumar Pandey, Kamal Vyavhare, Mohanrav Dandekar, Mangal Vilas Bhujval, Manoj Shinde, Suresh Patilkhede, Vijay Khadse, Shabir Khan, Avinash Lad, Yagvalya Jichkar, Raju Jhode, and Rajendra Mukah.
These suspended candidates are contesting against the official nominees of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). Earlier, Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala had said that all party rebels contesting against the official MVA candidates would face a six-year suspension.
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The Maharashtra assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with votes for all 288 constituencies to be counted on November 23. The opposition MVA coalition, comprising Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Nationalist Congress Party (SCP), seeks to reclaim power in the state, challenging the Mahayuti alliance, which includes Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Ajit Pawar-led NCP.
In the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, Shiv Sena secured 56, and Congress 44. In 2014, the BJP won 122 seats, Shiv Sena 63, and Congress 42.