Veteran political leaders from the sugarcane-rich Ahmednagar districts –Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat and former Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil (who is now a Bharatiya Janata Party legislator)– are currently engaged in verbal duel. Their rivalry is old in local politics. However, the trigger now is the Congress party’s U-turn over not getting its due share in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government’s functioning.
Vikhe-Patil targeted Thorat, holding him responsible for Congress’ poor showing in the state. “Even though Congress is sharing power in the state, the party and its ministers are neglected in decision-making. Congress has lost its strength and I have never seen such a helpless state unit chief,’’ he alleged.
Thorat rebutted Vikhe-Patil saying that the people of Maharashtra have witnessed his stint as the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly. “On many occasions, Vikhe-Patil was seen touching the feet of former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. He is helpless,’’ he noted.
Thorat further said Vikhe-Patil should stop worrying about the Maha Vikas Aghadi government as it was on the firm wicket. “The opposition should not dream about coming to power. MVA is quite strong and will complete full term,’’ he opined.
Vikhe-Patil took a jibe at Thorat and questioned his standing in the Congress party. “Thorat was appointed the Congress group leader after I quit the party. He has been making all efforts to retain his ministership. It is so humiliating that Thorat had to wait for eight days for CM Uddhav Thackeray’s meeting. The meeting was to beg to keep the Congress party in the MVA alliance and not to take up issues faced by workers, farmers, businesses and students,’’ he claimed.
Thorat replied he did not take Vikhe-Patil’s allegations seriously. Further, his supporters termed Vikhe-Patil power hungry and reminded him of the defections that he carried out to stay in power.
