Farmers Movement Archive

Maharashtra: Congress leadership rap for Patole

Upset over Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole’s style of working and remarks, party leader Rahul Gandhi summoned him to Delhi on Tuesday. The reprimand came after Patole’s recent remarks related to leaders from the other two ruling parties led to strong reactions from Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena chief and chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. Patole met Gandhi, along with HK Patil, state in-charge of party and KC Venugopal, organisational general secretary. The leadership has reportedly told Patole to refrain from any controversial remarks that would affect the interest of the ruling Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) of Sena, NCP and Congress. The state unit chief has also been told to refrain from commenting on the alliance between the ruling parties for the forthcoming polls. “Pawar and Thackeray took Patole’s remarks against them very seriously. Pawar conveyed the dismay to the Congress leadership, while Thackeray spoke to Congress president Sonia Gandhi over the entire episode. HK Patil and four other in-charge secretaries submitted their reports to party high command over Patole’s style of working,” said a senior party leader. The leader also said that the central leadership of the party was so upset with Patole that his presidency as state unit chief had come under trouble. Patole has been in the news since he took over as the state unit chief of the party in February with his ‘unguarded’ statements. His announcement of going solo in the local body and Assembly elections made immediately after taking over did not go well with the Sena and NCP. More recently, he stirred a controversy after he said that the chief minister, deputy chief minister and home minister keep a close watch on him as “the two ruling parties cannot swallow the resurrection of the Congress”. In a meeting with party’s local leaders in Lonavala on Saturday, Patole also said that the Sena and NCP backstab Congress when it comes to releasing funds for the local bodies under them. Pawar ridiculed Patole, saying the latter was “a small leader whose comments do not warrant a response”. Thackeray publicly snubbed Patole last month for talking about going solo in the forthcoming elections. Senior Congress leaders too were upset over the remarks by Patole as they were leading to disturbance between the leading parties. They had reportedly complained to HK Patil and senior party leader Mallikarjun Kharge during their Mumbai visit last week. After meeting Gandhi, Patole said, “We discussed organisational issues in the wake of the political developments in the state. There is no problem with the MVA combine and the state in Maharashtra will complete its term.” In a U-turn over his stand, Patole said the decision on the alliance between the three parties for the forthcoming local body elections will be taken by the party’s central leadership. Patole also said the MVA government may hold a special session of the state legislature to pass farm laws and hold speaker’s election. “The suggestions on the farm bills tabled in state legislature are expected to be submitted by stakeholders in two months, after which there could be a special session to pass the bills. The same session could see election to the post of Assembly speaker. There is no need to wait for the election till the winter session.” Meanwhile, the Congress is reportedly considering reshuffle of their ministers in the state cabinet. The reshuffle may take place ahead of the winter session, by appointing one of the ministers as the Assembly speaker. Though Patole is vying for a ministerial berth, party high command is said to be against any such move. The reshuffle may happen in the near future as the NCP and Sena too want to fill their vacant berths after the resignation of Anil Deshmukh and Sanjay Rathod as home and forest ministers, respectively.

Hindustan Times

20-07-2021

Mumbai