Despite complaints against Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam, the party high-command has put the issue on the back burner and issued directions to his opponents to better focus on the Lok Sabha polls knocking on the door, instead of meddling in each other’s affairs.
Mallikarjun Kharge, Maharashtra in-charge of the party held a meeting with other leaders last week at a hotel in south Mumbai to discuss preparations for the general election. A final list of possible candidates for 26 Lok Sabha constituencies in the State was also sent to the All India Congress Committee (AICC), out of which seven seats have only single names and are likely to be finalised soon.
“[Mr. Kharge] held talks with all senior leaders in the State and also with him [Mr. Nirupam]. As things stand today, each leader has been asked to concentrate on their respective constituency for the general elections. The more pressure local leaders want to put on the central leadership, the more it is likely that no decision will be taken,” said a leader, who was present in those meetings.
The works of the campaign and election committees, the current political climate, and demands of alliance partners were also reviewed in the meeting. The meeting was attended by the State Congress president Ashok Chavan, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, senior leader Balasaheb Thorat, and five general secretaries of the AICC who are in charge of the State for the election.
Meanwhile, Out of the 26 Lok Sabha seats, Milind Deora (Mumbai South), Sushil Kumar Shinde (Solapur), Charulata Tokas (Wardha), Mukul Wasnik (Ramtek), Rajeev Satav (Hingoli), Manikrao Thakre (Yavatmal) and Amita Chavan (Nanded) have no competitors in their respective constituencies. Latur (SC) has the highest number of aspirants for a Congress ticket with the committee receiving 31 names.
