Mumbai, November 11: Ahead of the crucial Maharashtra assembly elections, the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has intensified its disciplinary measures, suspending seven additional rebel leaders on Sunday night for engaging in anti-party activities. These actions bring the total number of suspended Congress rebels to 28, covering 22 constituencies across the state.
The newly suspended members include Shamkant Saner, Rajendra Thakur, Aba Bagul, Manish Anand, Suresh Kumar Jethliya, Kalyan Borade, and Chandrapaul Chauksey. Earlier in the day, the MPCC had already suspended 21 rebels, demonstrating its firm stance against members running against official nominees of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), an opposition coalition led by Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has warned that any Congress member challenging the official MVA candidates will face a six-year suspension, underscoring the party’s commitment to maintaining unity within the alliance.
The Maharashtra assembly elections are set for November 20, with results for all 288 constituencies to be declared on November 23. This election pits the opposition MVA coalition against the ruling Mahayuti alliance, which includes Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Ajit Pawar’s NCP faction.
In the previous assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, while Shiv Sena secured 56 and Congress 44. The MVA coalition aims to reclaim power by focusing on shared governance goals, whereas the ruling alliance seeks to retain control in Maharashtra.
The MPCC’s stern action against rebels reflects the party’s strategic focus on internal cohesion to strengthen its chances in the upcoming election, as it works closely with its coalition partners to contest all seats effectively.
