BJP creating false perception of rift within Maharashtra Congress, says MPCC chief Nana Patole

Nana Patole. File.
| Photo Credit: Today News 24

Denying notions of a crisis brewing with the Maharashtra Congress, following the feud with senior Congressman Balasaheb Thorat, MPCC chief Nana Patole on Friday stressed that there was “no schism” within the State unit and that it was a “false atmosphere” had been conjured by the BJP to defame the party and mislead the electorate.

“There is no rift within the Maharashtra Congress…it is only the BJP who is spreading such rumours and creating a wrong perception that the Congress is divided as they cannot digest their recent losses in the MLC polls. I am still not aware whether Mr. Thorat had submitted his resignation as CLP or not,” said Mr. Patole.

Earlier this week, Mr. Thorat had resigned from his post as Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader following serious differences with Mr. Patole, particularly after the fiasco over the Nashik MLC poll. In his letter to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Mr. Thorat has reportedly alleged he was being “targeted” and “humiliated” by Mr. Patole during party meetings and state it was “impossible” to work with the MPCC chief.

This has led to intense speculation that Mr. Patole could be replaced as the MPCC president.

While Maharashtra Congress in-charge H.K. Patil is visiting Mumbai on Saturday, Mr. Patole said he would not be meeting him as he would be in Pune between February 11 and 14 to prepare the party and lead the campaign for the upcoming Assembly byelection to the Kasba Peth and Chinchwad Assembly segments slated for February 26.

“I have already spoken with Mr. Patil and given him all requisite information over phone… I will be tied up in the campaigning for the Assembly by-polls. Even in the Kasba segment, the BJP had created a mis-perception that there were divisions within the Congress,” Mr. Patole said, while expressing confidence in the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition (of the Congress, the NCP and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction) winning both byelections by a wide margin.

Meanwhile, Mr. Patole’s verbal duel with his ally, Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut, continued on Thursday after the latter remarked that the MVA government led by former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray might have remained in power had Mr. Patole not resigned abruptly resigned as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly (in early 2021).

“I thank Mr. Raut for thinking me so powerful that if I had remained as Speaker, then the MVA would not have fallen…I appreciate his giving before the country proof of my power,” Mr. Patole said, in a sardonic quip directed at Mr. Raut.

Mr. Patole went to say that Mr. Raut ought to explain how the Shiv Sena could allow the rebellion (by present CM Eknath Shinde) to take place right under their noses.

“Mr. Raut has some answering to do as regards the fall of the MVA government. He ought to ask himself who was CM at the time. Was the Shiv Sena lacked something in their top leadership that they were caught napping at the time of the crisis? [Mr. Shinde’s revolt]” he said.

Mr. Patole had resigned from the Speaker’s post in February 2021 — barely a year after the formation of the MVA — in order to take over as the Maharashtra Congress president. However, his exit not only disturbed the working within the MVA parties, but also created a vacuum that was never filled during the tenure of the MVA government.

The MVA was toppled in June 2022 after rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde’s coup, which saw the formation of a new government with the BJP supporting the Shinde faction.

Stating that the Speaker’s post was very vital during a political crisis, Mr. Raut said this was especially if a coalition government like the MVA was in place.