Nilesh Rane resigns as Cong gen secy, blames Ashok Chavan

Mumbai: Former Congress MP Nilesh Rane, son of party veteran Narayan Rane, resigned from the post of state general secretary on Tuesday, blaming state party president Ashok Chavan for the drubbing the party had received in the local body polls.

In a letter written to Mr Chavan, Nilesh Rane warned that the Congress would sink lower if the party president does not change his decision-making process. However, Mr Chavan said differences would have to be solved amicably.

Recently, former Congress MP Priya Dutt had also expressed her reservations about the party’s functioning. Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam was targeted by his own party men for the 132-year-old party’s worst performance in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls. Party sources have revealed that Mr Chavan would also be targeted for local body polls’ results.

Nilesh Rane, who had lost 2014 Lok Sabha polls from Konkan, had complained that Mr Chavan had not made some crucial appointments in Ratnagiri district due to which it lacked leadership and direction. “Despite repeated requests, you did not fill vacant posts in Ratnagiri district. It gives some sense of political decision. If you take good decisions, good people will join the party, or else nobody will come forward to contest the gram panchayat elections. It is already too late for the party and I want to see how much damage to the organisation you do further. Therefore, I am resigning as Maharashtra Congress general secretary but will keep working for the party,” he said in the letter.

Putting the onus of the Congress’s defeat in the local bodies polls on Ashok Chavan, Nilesh Rane wrote. “I do not want to share the loss of Congress, if the situation remains the same under your leadership. I have come to politics for social work and not for any post. If you are going to use your party post for your benefits, then Congress will see further lows,” he said.

Reacting to the letter, Mr Chavan said, “I am fully aware that there are certain issues, but all decisions are not taken in Mumbai. There is no need for the public reaction. He could have met me or the party high command and resolved the issue amicably.”  

Meanwhile, there have been rumours that Narayan Rane is leaving the Congress. However, the leader put an end to them, denying any shift to another party. Narayan Rane and Mr Chavan have never shared good relations in the party.