Mumbai/Guwahati: Revolt erupted in Congress’ backyard in Maharashtra and Assam when two senior ministers today quit the party governments opposing their chief ministers.
Sulking senior Congress minister in Maharashtra Narayan Rane today met Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, gave his resignation and later slammed him for “slackness” in decision-making. He does not want to be a “partner in defeat” in the assembly elections due later this year, he said.
Similarly, another senior Congress minister in the Assam government Himanta Biswas Sarma met the state Governor and submitted his resignation. He claimed he met the Governor along with 38 MLAs and expressed non confidence in the Chief Minister. Assam goes to polls in less than two years.
Coming two months after Congress debacle in the Lok Sabha elections in both the states, the back-to-back developments have raised questions on the strategy the Congress high command and Rahul Gandhi propose to adopt to stem dissidence.
Congress leaders in Delhi, however, ruled out suggestions that it was a revolt by state leaders against the leadership of Rahul Gandhi.
Both the ministers had resigned once earlier recently but were persuaded to withdraw it. Sarma said this time he would not withdraw the resignation and made it clear that he would not contest elections under Gogoi’s leadership.
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