Maharashtra: Nana Patole to step down? Congress leaders across ranks meet observer Ramesh Chennithala to apprise about situation

Maharashtra Congress leaders across ranks met AICC observer Ramesh Chennithala on Monday to put forward their opinions about ongoing issues within the party. Chennithala is given a task by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to meet and discuss ongoing feuds between Maharashtra Congress. Chennithala has also personally called senior leaders like Sushilkumar Shinde to know their opinions. The overall sense within the party was against current state chief Nana Patole, the close contact of Chennithala in Maharashtra, told FPJ.

𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗮 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀

Chennithala, a senior Congress leader from Kerala, reached Mumbai on Sunday evening. He is staying in Trident hotel at Nariman Point. Former ministers and senior leaders met Chennithala at Nariman Point one-on-one. Chennithala was also at the state Congress office in Prabhadevi. There he met general secretaries, secretaries, MLAs, former MPs and party sympathisers too. Former minister Yashomati Thakur, MLA Dhiraj Deshmukh, party's only MP in LS Balu Dhanorkar and others met Chennithala in Prabhadevi office.

Sources also said that leaders like Satej Patil, Sunil Kedar, Varsha Gaikwad and others met Chennithala in Trident on Sunday evening and Monday. Chennithala is sent in state by Kharge after the feud between state chief Nana Patole and senior leader Balasaheb Thorat went public after recently concluded legislative council elections. Leaders apprised Chennithala about the working style of Nana Patole. According to most of the senior leaders, the situation escalated over the Nashik graduate council election because of Nana's working style.

𝗡𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝘄𝗻, 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗮

"He does not take local leaders into confidence. Many times he made decisions on his own. This has led to a situation where local organisations have become inactive," many leaders told Chennithala. They also told him that in such a situation, it will be tough for the party to work in the coming local bodies elections.

Chennithala will be in Mumbai on Tuesday also. He is likely to meet senior leaders to discuss the road ahead for the party. He will submit his report in Raipur, Chhattisgarh during plenary session of the party from 26th this month. Whether he suggests any names for the state Congress chief post needs to be seen.

Published on: Monday, February 20, 2023, 09:25 PM IST