Vikhe-Patil refutes rumours of his resignation as LoP

Mumbai: The state’s political circles were abuzz on Tuesday with the reports of Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil quitting the post of Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly. However, the leader later clarified that the reports of his resignation are baseless.

According to reports, Mr Vikhe-Patil handed over his resignation to Congress president Rahul Gandhi on ‘moral grounds.’ Recently, his son Sujay had defected to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Following this, Mr Vikhe-Patil had announced that he would not campaign for the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in the Ahmednagar seat.

After his son joined the BJP, pressure was mounting on Mr Vikhe-Patil to resign from the post. Senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat asked him to clarify his stand on his son joining the ruling party.

“The Vikhe-Patil family has been associated with the Congress for the last five decades and the party has treated its members well. However, the Vikhe-Patils have betrayed the Congress at a crucial time,” Mr Thorat had said.

However, Mr Vikhe-Patil made it clear that reports about his resignation are baseless and he was in Loni in Ahmednagar district on Tuesday.

“I have not written or tendered any letter of resignation to the party president. I was in my constituency and, hence, the reports that I met Mr Gandhi in Delhi are false,” said Mr Vikhe-Patil.

Sources from the Vikhe-Patil camp said that his rivals within the party might have spread the rumours about him to malign his image.