Congress leaders unhappy with Ashok Chavan

Senior Congress leaders Narayan Rane and Harshwardhan Patil along with leaders from Vidarbha are disappointed with the working style of party state president, Ashok Chavan, who offered unconditional support to NCP in the MLC election. The issue will be raised in a meeting with party in-charge, Mohan Prakash, on Monday in Mumbai.

Congress and NCP leaders including state chiefs of both parties met recently to discuss alliance in the state legislative council election. A party insider said that Congress state president, Mr Chavan, announced support to NCP candidate, Vasant Davkhare, without consulting party functionaries. Mr Davkhare is contesting MLC election from Thane Local Body constituency.

Congress MLC Amarnath Rajurkar, elected from Nanded local body constituency, will retire on December 5 this year. Mr Rajurkar is a close aide of Mr Chavan. According to party sources, Mr Chavan fears that if Congress opposes Mr Davkhare, NCP will take revenge during the Nanded MLC selection. “Ultimately, Mr Chavan’s supporter will probably lose the election which is why he announced his support to NCP in the Thane MLC poll,” said the source.

On the other hand, senior Congress leader and former chief minister Narayan Rane, former minister Harshwardhan Patil, and another former minister Dr Nitin Raut are interested in contesting the MLC election.

According to party strength, two candidates each from Congress and NCP will win the MLC election - three seats from Elected MLA (EMLA) constituency and one from Thane local body. As per discussions held during the meeting, NCP would contest seats – two from EMLA and one from Thane.

LoP Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil opposed NCP’s contesting three seats and demanded that Congress too contest two seats. He said, “Congress and NCP should get equal share as we have one more seat in the upper house. Hence, we have a right to contest two seats.”

NCP state president Sunil Tatkare said that the decision would be finalised very soon.

Meanwhile, outgoing MLC Deepri Chawdhari asked party leadership to allow her a second term as she is a woman, that too from backward class. At present, Ms Chawadhari and Husnabano Khalife are the two women representatives of Congress. Of the two, Ms Chawadhari’s term is slated to end on July 7.

The notification for MLC election will be issued on May 24 and May 31 is the last date for making nomination. The voting will be held on June 10.