Balasaheb Thorat has not formally resigned as Congress Legislative Party leader in Maharashtra, says Nana Patole

Why did senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat resign from his post of Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader, and why is he unhappy?

No, he did not. As of now, our records show that he did not submit his resignation and continues to be the CLP leader. No formal letter has been received. I am an MLA and he is our leader in the State Assembly. I don’t know the reasons for his unhappiness.

Did Satyajeet Tambe (Mr. Thorat’s nephew), now an independent MLC, approach the Congress party for Nashik graduates’ constituency seat?

No. We gave the ticket to his father, Sudhir Tambe, as the Maha Vikas Aghadi (alliance of the NCP, the Congress and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena) candidate. Mr. Satyajeet did not approach the party expressing his desire to contest as the Congress party candidate. Had he, we would have definitely given him ‘AB form’ (Form A and Form B denote that a certain candidate has been approved by a political party). Moreover, Sudhir Tambe withdrawing his nomination at the eleventh hour to make way for his son, and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party not fielding their candidate, clearly indicate that the former’s son contested as a ‘BJP candidate’ in all but name. The picture was crystal clear. Dr. Sudhir Tambe, a senior Congress leader, betrayed the party. 

What is happening in Maharashtra Congress?

Infighting is common in every party. Not just within Congress, but also in BJP. Like G-23 in Congress, there are people who are against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in BJP. There are differences among leaders. One has to ignore them and continue to work at the party. These differences will be resolved by the high command during the 85th Plenary Session (from February 24 to 26) in Naya Raipur, Chhattisgarh.

Post-plenary will there be a change in the Maharashtra Congress leadership?

Have to wait and see. I will work for the party in any capacity.

Isn’t it your responsibility to take everyone along for the brighter future of the Congress party in Maharashtra?

As pramukh (chief), my responsibility is to take everyone together and work for the party. We have to carry the party in a cohesive manner despite individual leaders pulling their own strings in different directions. However, as party chief, I focus on balancing plural options and continue. 

Your colleagues accuse you of being autocratic and utterly disregarding and stifling their voices.

I don’t agree with that. All our party leaders, including three former chief ministers — Prithviraj Chavan, Sushilkumar Shinde and Ashok Chavan — are with me, and we are striving very hard to make Congress a formidable force. The ruling party is unable to withstand our aggressive politics, and is resorting to spreading lies and half-truths to weaken us internally. But, we will resist all such advances and emerge victorious in the next election. BJP tries to project me as an autocratic leader, which I am not. People will dislodge this unconstitutional, undemocratic government in Maharashtra.

And the prospects for the Maha Vikas Aghadi?

The MVA was formed under testing and trying times to have an immediate alternative. However, Congress is always open to leaders who oppose the BJP tooth and nail. We embrace them with open hands. Our main aim is to save the country and democracy from the clutches of the BJP and its cronies. We all strive to make it a robust force to keep the nation from disintegrating.

How do you tackle the growing dissidence in the party, especially after the Nashik MLC polls, and ahead of two byelections in Pune?

On the internal fissures and one-upmanships in the party, the high command will take a final call, and I have already apprised them of the situation. It is an organisational matter and the party’s top leadership would address it. Recently, the MVA won 3 of 5 MLC seats, and we are going to win the Kasba Peth bypoll as well. 

Whenever you level some allegations against the government, Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis says that you need not be taken seriously. What is your take on his comments?

That itself says how important I am to his government. Just as PM Modi toys with Rahul Gandhi, similarly, there could be no Fadnavis without me. The ruling party single-mindedly targets me.