In a significant development ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024, Congress has expelled MLA Zeeshan Siddique from the party. The move was confirmed by State Congress President Nana Patole during a media interaction in Nagpur on Friday, effectively putting an end to speculations about Siddique’s potential exit from the party.
When questioned about the resignation of MLA Jitesh Antapurkar, Patole stated, “There should be no discussions on leaders like Zeeshan Siddique and Antapurkar who have been expelled from the party.” This statement underscores the Congress’s firm stance against members involved in activities deemed detrimental to the party’s interests, including cross-voting during the state legislative elections.
Earlier, Patole had hinted at severe repercussions for MLAs involved in such activities, and Siddique’s expulsion appears to be a direct consequence of these warnings. “I have confirmed reports of cross-voting done by Zeeshan Siddique during the Maharashtra State Legislative elections, and there are other related matters against him. The party will soon decide if he should be reconsidered as an MLA candidate,” Patole told The Free Press Journal.
Zeeshan Siddique, who represents Mumbai’s Bandra East constituency, has been under scrutiny since his participation in Ajit Pawar’s Jan Sanman Yatra in Mumbai on August 19. His involvement in the event signaled his growing alignment with the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar, a move that has now been confirmed with his expulsion from Congress.
The expulsion comes after a series of grievances expressed by Siddique regarding his treatment within Congress. He has been vocal about the discrimination he faced, particularly after his father, Baba Siddique, a long-time Congress leader, left the party in February to join Ajit Pawar’s NCP faction. At that time, there were strong indications that Zeeshan would soon follow in his father’s footsteps.
Zeeshan Siddique’s departure marks a critical juncture in the political landscape of Maharashtra. As he prepares to align with Ajit Pawar’s faction, Siddique’s exit reflects the ongoing realignments and strategic moves by key political figures ahead of the upcoming state elections.
