Mumbai: Maharashtra Congress on Friday expelled its MLAs Zeeshan Siddique and Jitesh Antapurkar for anti-party activities. Siddique, son of former minister Baba Siddique, represents Bandra East assembly constituency. Antapurkar, who got elected from Degloor-Mukhed, submitted his resignation to the state assembly speaker on Thursday.
Later in the evening, Antapurkar joined the BJP in the presence of Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, MP Ashok Chavan state BJP chief Chandrashekar Bawankule and others. Chavan said that Antapurkar received insulting treatment. Zeeshan is expected to toe his father’s line and join the Ajit Pawar-led NCP soon.
It was presumed that both the MLAs were among the legislators who cross-voted in biennial elections to 11 seats of the Legislative Council, held last month. But their suspension is purely for the anti-party activities as they were seen attending programmes of the ruling Mahayuti, sources said.
The Congress is yet to take a call about the seven MLAs who defied the party whip and voted against the party candidate. Meanwhile, speaking to reporters in Nagpur, MPCC chief Nana Patole did not elaborate on reasons for the expulsion. Patole said there was no point in commenting on the two MLAs as they had been expelled by the party.
