Post MAHA Debacle, Internal Dissatisfactions Mar Congress

Demands grow for the resignations of Maharashtra president Nana Patole and Mumbai president Varsha Gaikwad for failing to steward the grand old party to victory.

Mumbai:After the humiliating defeat in the 2024 assembly elections, internecine disputes have surfaced in the Maharashtra Congress as demand for the resignation of state president Nana Patole and party's Mumbai president Varsha Gaikwad grows louder.

Speculations are rife that senior party leaders will reflect on the dismal show of the party candidates and will take a call on Patole for his inability to ride the party to a better performance. Talks about Patole's resignation have heated up on Monday morning but the state unit has denied it.

Patole has been summoned to Delhi to present his case to the high command after which his future course of action in the party will be decided.

Congress barely managed to win 16 seats in Maharashtra with veterans like Balasaheb Thorat and former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, thought to be contenders for the CM post, had to bite the dust. Patole's victory margin was a sliver of 208 seats in the Sakoli constituency.

Against the backdrop, party insiders are demanding the resignations of the leaders responsible for the poll drubbing. There are allegations of the non-inclusion of party members in the decision-making process and campaigning for the assembly election.

Former Mumbai Congress president and MLA Bhai Jagtap has expressed regret that senior leaders were not included to a great extent in the decision-making process and campaign. These seats were left to friendly parties without insisting on the seats of Versova and Byculla, considered the traditional strongholds of Congress. The party fielded candidates on negligible seats in Mumbai. Due to the party's success in the Lok Sabha, the local leadership made efforts for its preferred candidates. There was no sign of the current Mumbai president's participation in the campaign in the entire Mumbai. The state and Mumbai presidents took credit for the party's success in the Lok Sabha and the party coming first in the state. Similarly, they should also take responsibility for the party's debacle in the state and Mumbai. Both should resign after accepting the responsibility for this defeat, Jagtap said.

He speculated that Congress may have been affected by the seat distribution mess in the Maha Vikas Aghadi and the confusion over the post of chief minister. The party has been affected by the non-inclusion of leaders like Chandrakant Handore, Suresh Shetty, Bhai Jagtap and others in the decision-making process. Gaikwad is accused of only trying for her preferred candidates, ignoring others. His presence as the party's Mumbai president was not visible throughout the electioneering.

Congress's Maharashtra in-charge Ramesh Chennithala said this result was unbelievable and unexpected. A report will be sent to the party leaders regarding this and deliberations will be held on it.