In a significant political development ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections, Congress President Nana Patole announced on August 30, 2024, the expulsion of MLAs Zeeshan Siddique and Jitesh Antapurkar from the party. The move, while lacking specific public explanations, is widely believed to be connected to earlier reports of cross-voting by seven Congress MLAs in the elections for 11 Legislative Council seats.
Patole Declines to Elaborate on Expulsions
During a press conference in Nagpur, Nana Patole was asked about the reasons behind the expulsion of the two MLAs but chose to avoid further elaboration. He indicated that there was no need for continued discussion as both Siddique and Antapurkar were no longer associated with the party. Zeeshan Siddique, who represents the Bandra (East) constituency in Mumbai, is the son of former Congress leader Baba Siddique, who recently joined the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Jitesh Antapurkar, on the other hand, was elected from the Deglur constituency in Nanded district.
Fadnavis Criticizes Opposition on Maratha Reservation Issue
In a separate political incident, Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis launched a sharp critique against opposition leaders Sharad Pawar, Nana Patole, and Uddhav Thackeray. Speaking at an event in Mumbai, Fadnavis demanded that the leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition clarify their stance on the Maratha community's demand for reservation under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. He urged the leaders to stop evading the issue and provide clear answers, questioning the opposition’s commitment to resolving this sensitive and contentious matter.
Congress Seeks Key Pune Seats Amid MVA Seat-Sharing Talks
As the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance intensifies discussions over assembly seat allocations, the Congress party has requested three key constituencies in Pune city—Kasba Peth, Shivajinagar, and Cantonment—out of the six available seats. The party is still in the process of selecting candidates for these seats. According to a senior Congress leader, Shiv Sena (UBT) has not objected to this request, but the final decision will depend on the approval of NCP leader Sharad Pawar. The Congress high command in New Delhi has advised the state leadership to await Pawar’s final consent before making any definitive decisions on seat-sharing within the alliance.
Assembly Elections Set for November 2024
With Assembly elections in Maharashtra scheduled for November 2024, political parties are engaged in intense maneuvering and strategic planning. The recent developments, including the expulsion of MLAs and debates over crucial issues like Maratha reservation, signal a highly competitive and charged political environment as the election date approaches.