Prithviraj Chavan & Nagma express displeasure when Congress decides to keep vigil to avoid cross voting
Fadnavis taunts Congress for fielding an outsider
Raut says had the Congress given candidature to the local it would have helped the party to strengthen the organisation
Mumbai: The Congress party’s decision to field youth leader and poet from Uttar Pradesh Imran Pratapgarhi led has not gone down well with the state party leaders as some of them during private conversation made a strong case for giving candidature to the leader from Maharashtra. State party leaders are struggling to defend Pratapgarhi’s candidature and pacify the local leaders. However, they admit that they will have to keep a vigil on its legislators for the victory of Pratapgarhi and avoid attempts, if any, of cross voting.
Former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan argued that Mukul Wasnik, who hails from Vidarbha region, should be nominated from Maharashtra instead of the party's decision to field him from Rajasthan.
Chavan expressed serious displeasure over the party's decision to field Pratapgarhi from Maharashtra and not Wasnik. ‘’I spoke to Mukul Wasnik and requested him to get his candidature from Maharashtra if possible. I think Mukul Wasnik should be nominated from Maharashtra. There is still time,’’ he said.
Congress leader Nagma, who is the general secretary of the Mahila Congress and vice president of Mumbai unit, has said that her 18 years of penance has fallen short in front of Pratapgarhi. "SoniaJi, our Congress president had personally committed to accommodating me in RS in 2003/04 when I joined the Congress party at her behest. We weren't in power then. Since then, it's been 18 years since they haven't found an opportunity. Mr Imran is accommodated in RS from Maharashtra I ask am I less deserving," she noted.
However, State unit chief Nana Patole strongly defended the decision by party president Sonia Gandhi and former president Rahul Gandhi and thanked them for nominating Pratapgarhi who respects Marathi and symbol of national integrity. Patole on Nagma’s statement said there is an internal democracy in the Congress party so she has every right to speak and claim her seniority. Pratapgarhi today filed his nomination in the presence of senior party ministers and leaders.
Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis claimed, ‘’All our candidates are from Maharashtra, all are politically active. So, I am confident that some will use their good sense and vote for our candidate."
“When we have filed the nomination for the third candidate, it is evident that it has been a well-thought-out decision.”
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said although it was Congress party’s decision, had the party given candidature to the local it would have helped the Congress party to further strengthen its organisation. ‘’It seems Congress party has thought of the country and other states while fielding Pratapgarhi,’’ he noted.
