Mumbai: The Congress party high command took note of a widening rift between the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee President Nana Patole and energy minister Nitin Raut and the growing factionalism. Patole and Raut have been at loggerheads for the past few months. While Patole, after stepping down as the assembly speaker, has not hidden his ambition to become minister in charge of the energy department. Insiders also said Patole is strongly advocating Raut’s candidature for the Speaker’s post though the election did not take place in the recently concluded two-day monsoon session of the state legislature.
Congress party interim president Sonia Gandhi summoned Raut and former state unit president and Congress Legislature Party leader Balasaheb Thorat to seek the first-hand report on the present state of affairs. Thorat has reportedly made a strong case for unity in the Congress which is sharing power with Shiv Sena and NCP in Maharashtra.
The rift between Patole and Raut was recently surfaced after the former alleged irregularities in tendering process by Maharashtra State Mining Corporation for awarding a contract for washing of 2 million metric tonnes of coal per annum. Subsequently, the mining minister Subhash Desai ordered a probe.
Although it had nothing to do with the energy department, it was projected by some disgruntled elements within the Congress party that it was against Raut. Thereafter, Patole had to issue a clarification that he had no intention to target Raut.
However, Patole has denied any differences with Raut or factionalism in the party.
Patole was hogging the headlines for his repeated announcements of going solo despite sharing power with Shiv Sena and NCP in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. He was subsequently snubbed by the high command.
