Mumbai: Mumbai Congress leader Vishwabandhu Rai on Thursday questioned the party’s “surrender” before the Shiv Sena UBT, which itself is a weak party. In a letter written to the Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Mr. Rai said the party should not have given key Maharashtra Lok Sabha seats to the Uddhav Thackeray-led party, which has witnessed the exit of several MPs, MLAs and office-bearers. Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad also urged the party to get back Mumbai South Central seat from the Shiv Sena UBT.
Mr. Rai said that seat sharing of 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state exposed the weak leadership of Congress’s Maharashtra in-charge (Ramesh Chennithala) and state leaders. He also pointed out that the Congress party has been given tough seats, while Shiv Sena UBT declared its candidates on easier seats even before the seat distribution among the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance partners was finalised. He urged Mr. Kharge to take appropriate measures or else the party workers would be left with no option except to leave the party.
The former All India Congress Committee (AICC) member said that he had already pointed out in his previous letters to former party president Sonia Gandhi that Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is a threat to the Congress party. “My assessment has been proved right today,” he said.
Without taking names of Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole and other state leaders, the Mumbai Congress leader said that the way seat sharing has been done, it has made the Congress weak. Despite several leaders and office-bearers leaving Mr. Thackeray, his party has been given 21 Lok Sabha seats.
The MVA coalition in Maharashtra announced its seat-sharing arrangement for the Lok Sabha elections on Tuesday with the Shiv Sena (UBT) securing a substantial portion with 21 seats, while the Congress will contest 17 seats, and the NCP (SP) 10 seats. There is resentment in the Congress party over the seat sharing pact of the MVA especially in connection with the Sangli, Mumbai South Central, Bhiwandi seats, which have gone to Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP).
Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad also said that her party should have got at least three out of six Mumbai seats. The Shiv Sena has already declared candidates for four seats, leaving only two seats to Congress. Mr. Thackeray has declared candidature of his trusted aide Anil Desai from Mumbai South Central Lok Sabha constituency. Ms Gaikwad was keen to contest the seat.
“Earlier, Congress used to contest five seats in Mumbai, leaving only Mumbai North-East to the undivided Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). So we were demanding equal seat-sharing this time. Even if some leaders have quit, the party organisation in Mumbai is strong. The state leadership could have given a better deal for the party. It should have pursued equal seat-sharing among the MVA allies,” Ms Gaikwad said.
Claiming that she will win the Mumbai South Central seat if given the chance, Ms. Gaikwad said that since the decision has been taken now, as a loyal worker myself and my colleagues in Mumbai will work for the party. “But if the Mumbai North seat can be swapped for Mumbai South-Central (with Shiv Sena UBT), we will welcome it. It is for the leadership to decide,” she added.
