Cong MLAs Siddique, Antapurkar expelled from party: MPCC chief Nana Patole

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Friday said the party has expelled its MLAs Zeeshan Siddique and Jitesh Antapurkar, a move coming just ahead of the assembly polls.

Speaking to reporters in Nagpur, he did not elaborate on reasons for the expulsion of Zeeshan Siddique and Antapurkar, but the action comes more than a month after it came to light that seven Congress MLAs cross-voted in biennial elections to 11 seats of the Legislative Council. Replying to a query on Zeeshan Siddique and Antapurkar, Patole said there was no point in commenting on the two MLAs as they have been expelled by the party. Zeeshan Siddique was elected from Bandra (East) in Mumbai, while Antapurkar represented Deglur in Nanded district. Zeeshan Siddique's father Baba Siddique joined the Ajit Pawar-led NCP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Assembly polls in Maharashtra are due in November.