Congress trusted a leader, he ditched the party: Patole takes veiled dig at Pawar

In a veiled attack at NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said the Congress trusted him and gave him the responsibility of safeguarding the land of the grand old party. However, he ditched the Congress because of which the entire country was paying a price.

New Delhi: Days after NCP supremo Sharad Pawar's 'zamindar' comment, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole launched a veiled attack on him saying that the Congress had "trusted" him but the veteran leader "ditched" the party, as a result of which "wrong people" rose to power and the entire country was paying for it.

Speaking to ETV Bharat, Maharashtra Congress Chief Nana Patole said, "Those leaders, who were given the responsibility of safeguarding the land of the Congress, robbed the land and the entire country is paying a price for it. Due to this, the power has gone in the wrong hands," he said, adding the people have seen it all and will elect the Congress in 2024.

In a recent interview, Pawar had compared the Congress with the old zamindars in Uttar Pradesh. He said the Congress leaders were under the impression that they were the landlords.

Patole also attacked Narendra Modi on the occasion of his 71st birthday by calling him a "failed" Prime Minister. "We would surely want to wish PM Modi but it is also true that this country has seen such a failed PM for the first time. On his birthday, we just want to ask him to take the country on a progressive route and the dream which he has given to the people of India in 2014, that should be fulfilled," he said.

Patole, who is currently in Delhi, has had several rounds of meetings with the top leaders of the party, including Rahul Gandhi and KC Venugopal. When asked about the meetings, he said, "We have discussed various issued to strengthen our organisation in Maharashtra."

Replying to a question on the selection of a candidate for the vacant seat in Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra, he said the party high command will take a call and a Congress candidate is going to be elected on that vacant seat.

The Maharashtra Congress chief also reacted to the statement given by suspended Mumbai Police officer Anil Vaze to Enforcement Directorate. The tainted cop, in his statement, had said that ex-minister of Maharashtra Anil Deshmukh had demanded Rs 2 crore from him to convince Sharad Pawar over his reinstatement. "This entire Sachin Waze is an attempt of the central government to destabilize the Maha Vikas Aghadi Government. Whatever allegations are being made can only be clarified when this matter is taken up in the court," Patole alleged.