A LABOUR Party election agent today revealed he quit because he was unhappy with the selection of three candidates who later defected after becoming councillors.

Mike Madigan, a Labour councillor from 1976 to 2001 and mayor in 1986, said he was worried about the candidates selected for Bastwell.

Mr Madigan said his worst fears were realised when Bastwell councillors Mahfooz Hussain, Iftakhar Hussain and Parwaiz Akhtar joined Salim Mulla (Queen's Park), Faryad Hussain (Queen's Park) and Yusuf Jan Virmani (Audley) and quit Labour days after being elected.

The move plunged Blackburn with Darwen Council into chaos and the six are to form an alliance with Tory and LibDem councillors to take control of the council, a move they are set to ratify at a meeting on Tuesday.

The council has been Labour led since 1983 and the new regime is due to take control at a full council meeting on July 1.

The row erupted after a meeting when Coun Mahfooz Hussain was told he would not retain his education portfolio in the council's ruling cabinet.

But the six defectors say they quit after being blamed for the defeat of former council leader Sir Bill Taylor in the predominantly Asian Audley ward.

Mr Madigan, who has also done a lot of work with the local Ethnic Minorities' Development Association, said: "Whatever this group of political misfits may say, their actions cannot be condoned.

"If they wish to demonstrate they possess even a modicum of honour, they will all resign and give the electorate an opportunity to elect representatives of their chosen political persuasion.

"I would normally have been the agent for the Bastwell ward councillors but on this occasion I failed to accept the responsibility because I was not happy with the selection of the candidates. How right I was.

"This action on the part of the gang of six has set back community relations as many in the indigenous community will view all Muslim councillors with suspicion. This is sad because those Muslim councillors remaining in the group are honest hard working members who represent all their constituents."

The six independent councillors declined to comment.