Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole has proposed to the party high command that action be taken against MLAs who voted against the party whip in the recent biennial election to the state legislative council. Reportedly, 7 Congress MLAs cross-voted, leading to the loss of Jayant Patil, one of the three candidates nominated by the MVA. Mahayuti won 9 seats, while MVA had to settle for 2.
The state Congress unit has taken a firm stand against the cross-voting by party MLAs. Leader of Opposition in the assembly, Vijay Wadettiwar, stated on Tuesday that action will be taken against those who did not follow the party whip in the election.
"State party chief has sent a proposal to the party's central leadership that action must be taken against these MLAs. There's a meeting of senior state Congress leaders in Mumbai on July 19. Our party's state in-charge, Ramesh Chennithala, and national general secretary, KC Venugopal, will be present at the meeting," Wadettiwar said.
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In this meeting, Wadettiwar mentioned that a decision would be made regarding the fate of the MLAs who cross-voted in this election.
"And action will be taken against those who betrayed the party," Wadettiwar added.
"We, the state leadership, have unanimously sent a proposal to the high command to take action against these betrayers. It's necessary to clean the party of this decay and dishonesty. A lesson will be taught to such MLAs," he concluded.
The attention has now shifted to the July 19 meeting of the Congress in Mumbai. The party now faces the urgency to address this issue as it had previously ignored similar instances. Cross-voting occurred in the previous MLC election as well, though it was overshadowed by the coup pulled off by Eknath Shinde the same evening. However, the Congress did not take any disciplinary action then.
With similar instances unfolding now, the state Congress is determined to expel the leaders from the party. The state Congress unit has taken a firm stand against the cross-voting by party MLAs.