The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) intensified disciplinary actions on Sunday night, suspending seven more rebel candidates for engaging in anti-party activities ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. The newly suspended leaders are Shamkant Saner, Rajendra Thakur, Aba Bagul, Manish Anand, Suresh Kumar Jethliya, Kalyan Borade, and Chandrapaul Chauksey.
Earlier the same day, the MPCC suspended 21 other rebel candidates, raising the total to 28 across 22 constituencies. Those previously suspended include Anandrao Gedam, Shilu Chimurkar, Sonal Kove, Bharat Yereme, Abhilasha Gavature, Premsagar Ganvir, Ajay Lanjewar, Vilas Patil, Aasma Javad Chikhlekar, Hanskumar Pandey, Kamal Vyavhare, Mohanrav Dandekar, Mangal Vilas Bhujval, Manoj Shinde, Suresh Patilkhede, Vijay Khadse, Shabir Khan, Avinash Lad, Yagvalya Jichkar, Raju Jhode, and Rajendra Mukah.
These candidates are running against official nominees of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition. Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala had previously announced that all party rebels opposing MVA-endorsed candidates would face a six-year suspension.
The Maharashtra assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with vote counting for all 288 constituencies on November 23. The MVA, comprising Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Nationalist Congress Party (SCP), aims to regain power in Maharashtra, challenging the Mahayuti alliance, which includes the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Ajit Pawar-led NCP. In the 2019 elections, the BJP won 105 seats, Shiv Sena 56, and Congress 44, while in 2014, the BJP won 122 seats, Shiv Sena 63, and Congress 42.