Mumbai: A day after Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Ashok Chavan hinted that his party might support the Sena if it quits the government, fresh differences have cropped up in the infighting-riddled party.
“I take strong objection to any discussion even of having any tie-up or extending indirect support to the Shiv Sena in the BMC,” former city Congress chief Gurudas Kamat said, adding he has informed party vice president Rahul Gandhi of the same.
A large section of the State Congress is in support of enabling the Shiv Sena to win the Mayoral election as a tactical move to widen the rift in the saffron camp. Party strategists are also of the view that this move could push the Devendra Fadnavis government into deep crisis, as Sena would be forced to quit the State government.
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Mr. Kamat, who crossed swords with city Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam during campaigning, said the party had fought the Sena and BJP for their divisive politics and attempts to align with them will backfire. The Congress, which finished third with 31 seats in the BMC, is unlikely to rush into a decision and will wait till the ongoing Assembly elections are over.
“Party workers feel Sena is a lesser evil than the BJP,” said a State Congress office-bearer who declined to be identified.
Sena, however, continued to maintain that the coveted Mayor’s post will be held by it only, discounting chances of a post-poll pact with the BJP.
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Sounding sceptical about propping up a Sena candidate for Mayor, senior leader Prithviraj Chavan said this was a matter of serious implications and only the party high command could take a call on it. “If we take a decision to support [the Sena], we can stop the BJP from installing its Mayor, but for how long? If we don’t support, BJP will have its Mayor.”