Mumbai: A group of disgruntled Maharashtra Congress leaders have complained against party state chief, Ashok Chavan, to newly appointed state in-charge Mallikarjun Kharge. The leaders briefed Mr Kharge about groupism at the behest of Mr Chavan and his approach towards the state government. Mr Kharge gave them a patient hearing and assured them that he would convey their concerns to the party president.
Mr Kharge is on a two-day visit of Maharashtra this week, and met all the MLAs, MLCs, district presidents, chiefs of different cells, and senior leaders. According to sources, many former ministers and senior leaders complained to Mr Kharge about Mr Chavan’s style of functioning.
Former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, who led the group, told Mr Kharge, “Mr Chavan has an old group in the state unit. He is just taking care of that group instead of the entire state organisation. He does not help other leaders outside his group.”
A former MP from Vidarbha told Mr Kharge, “We do not plan any other state-wide agitation. Our every protest is organised after the high command asks us to do so. Mr Chavan has literally ignored the Vidarbha region which was once, the party’s bastion. This will prove disastrous in the next elections if it continues.”
The leaders even demanded a change in leadership of the state Congress but Mr Kharge did not react to this. However, he assured them that he would place before Congress president Rahul Gandhi all the issues faced by them. Apparently, the group is rather disappointed with this assurance.
Mr Chavan was made head of the state unit of the Congress after the party lost badly in the 2014 Assembly elections. He was also the state chief minister in 2009.
