Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole has said 'traitors' from the party who cross-voted in the recent elections to 11 legislative council seats have been identified and will be punished.
The same 'traitors' had ensured the defeat of Congress leader Chandrakant Handore in the council elections two years ago, Patole claimed.
Congress state working committee will meet on July 19 to decide the action to be taken against the eight MLAs, sources said. Maharashtra Congress in-charge Ramesh Chennithala and central Congress party secretary KC Venugopal will attend the meeting.
The cross-voting has put Congress in an embarrassing situation in state politics. On one hand, the party's morale has high rocketed after big success in the Lok Sabha elections and is anticipating to continue the momentum in the state assembly election also. But on the other hand, the party was betrayed by their own men. There is a strong demand for action against the traitors.
“A trap was laid this time and they have been identified. They will be punished so that no one dares to betray the party again,” Patole told reporters here without taking any name.
“We have made a report and sent it to the Central Congress Party leaders for further action. Traitors will be removed from the party,” Patole assured.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, while talking to reporters on Sunday, said the Congress has accepted that cross-voting took place and they will take action accordingly.
“The Central government is going to observe the imposition of Emergency as 'Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas'. Isn't it unconstitutional to get MLCs elected by MLAs who are facing disqualification? Isn't it unconstitutional to purchase MLAs by bribing them? BJP is the real murderer of the Constitution,” Raut alleged.
The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) faced a setback as a candidate backed by Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP) lost.
At least eight Congress MLAs defied the party's directive while voting, results showed.
The Congress, which has 37 MLAs, had fixed a quota of 30 first preference votes for its candidate Pradyna Satav, and seven remaining votes were to go to Milind Narvekar, candidate of the ally Shiv Sena (UBT), party sources earlier said.
Eventually, Satav got 25 and Narvekar 22 first preference votes, which meant at least seven Congress MLAs cross-voted.
Jayant Patil of the Peasants and Workers' Party (PWP), supported by the NCP (SP), lost.
(with agency input)
