SIX former Labour councillors who quit the party to form a new independent group at Blackburn with Darwen Council have been accused of cheating the electorate.

Councillor Kate Hollern, who was due to replace ousted Sir Bill Taylor as leader of the council before the defections, said her former colleagues should stand down and fight by-elections.

Despite a week of tense negotiations and frantic brokering the council still had no controlling party late last night. Coun Hollern joined Rossendale and Darwen MP Janet Anderson who branded the six a "disgrace" who were not fit for elected office. The town hall was plunged into chaos this week after Salim Mulla (Queen's Park), Mahfooz Hussain (Bastwell), Yusuf Jan-Virmani (Audley), Iftakhar Hussain, Faryad Hussain (Queen's Park) and Parwaiz Akhtar left Labour days after the party was voted back into power.

Coun Hollern and other senior Labour figures said the departures were sparked after Coun Mahfooz Hussain was told he was not going to be re-selected to the council's leading executive committee.

After a turbulent two years as executive member for education during which two high schools were taken into special measures, Labour councillors are believed to have asked Coun Hussain to stand down.

However the six, who have been branded as the "Mahfia" by council insiders, blamed a row over the defeat of former leader Sir Bill Taylor who was voted out of an Audley ward predominantly filled with Asian voters.

In a bizarre twist that will have many voters scratching their heads in bewilderment Coun Hussain could be re-elected to the ruling executive committee if the likely coalition of Liberal Democrat, Conservative and Independent councillors materialises.

Despite group meetings last night Conservative leader Colin Rigby and LibDem leader Paul Browne were remaining tight lipped.

However, Coun Hollern, who looks increasingly likely to become leader of the opposition, has started to speak out. Her challenge to the six independent councillors could have been prompted by a realisation that Labour is set to lose its grip on power for the first time in 21 years.

Coun Hollern said: "I feel as though the voters have been cheated. I think it's absolutely disgraceful.

"They should be honest and stand for a by-election and take their chance at the polls."

All parties have until July 1 to agree on who is running Blackburn with Darwen Council.