Maharashtra: Congress suspends eight members in Thane for supporting independent candidate

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The Congress party has suspended eight of its members from Thane for engaging in anti-party activities by supporting an independent candidate in the recently concluded Maharashtra assembly elections, an official confirmed on Friday.

Vikrant Chavan, the president of Congress's Thane City district unit, announced the suspension of the eight party members in a statement.

He emphasised that the suspension would remain in effect until further notice, adding that their actions were detrimental to the party's interests during the elections.

In addition to the suspensions, the Congress party took further disciplinary action against Suresh Patil-Khede, the vice-president of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress OBC Cell.

Patil-Khede was expelled from the party for six years due to his decision to contest the elections as an independent candidate, a move that was deemed contrary to the party's goals.

The action against the Thane district members follows the Congress party's disappointing performance in the Maharashtra assembly elections, where it secured only 16 out of the 288 available seats.

The results were seen as a major setback for the Congress, which has struggled to regain momentum in the state, where it had once been a dominant political force.

The party leadership has vowed to strengthen the organisational structure in the state and address internal issues that may have contributed to the poor election outcome.

The disciplinary measures are seen as part of the party's efforts to maintain discipline within its ranks and ensure loyalty to the party line, especially during crucial electoral campaigns.

The Congress performed disastrously in the assembly elections, winning only 16 of the 288 seats in the state.