Mumbai, June 23 -- Senior Congress leader and MLA Amin Patel on Tuesday condemned the defection of six Lok Sabha Members of Parliament (MPs) from the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, labelling it a direct violation of the democratic process.

Speaking with ANI, he asserted that switching sides post-election, without seeking a fresh mandate from the electorate, undermines the very essence of parliamentary democracy. Patel argued that representatives are elected based on specific party symbols and defined ideological platforms.

"The atmosphere currently prevailing in the country is quite remarkable. When someone contests an election, they do so under a specific party's symbol and an allianc...