After suffering a massive jolt in poll-bound Haryana, Congress is now facing a similar obstacle in Maharashtra, which also goes to poll along with Haryana on October 21. Now, its senior leader and Mumbai Congress’ former chief, Sanjay Nirupam seems to be miffed with the ticket distribution in the state. He, on Thursday, gave hints that he would not be taking part in the party’s campaign after the name he had recommended was “rejected”.
While interacting with media persons on Friday, the former reality show Bigg Boss contestant reiterated his stand and said that while he does not want to leave the party, “if things continue to be like this” then he may not be with the party for long. He also said he will not campaign in the upcoming state assembly elections.
Congress’ predicaments after the 2019 Lok Sabha debacle just seems to be proliferating. Poll drubbing, followed by a flurry of resignations and infighting within the party is definitely no good news for India’s oldest political party.
The former MP, sulking over the rejection of his sole recommendation said, “For Mumbai, I had recommended only one name of a potential winner Muslim candidate from Versova, but that has been rejected without assigning reasons. This means the party has no need for me. I shall sit at home during elections.”
He also said that the way the party’s leadership was behaving with him the time to say goodbye to the party was “not far away”.
“It seems the Congress Party doesn’t want my services anymore. I had recommended just one name in Mumbai for Assembly election. Heard that even that has been rejected. As I had told the leadership earlier, in that case I will not participate in the poll campaign. It’s my final decision,” Nirupam said on Twitter without naming any of the city leaders.
It seems Congress Party doesn’t want my services anymore. I had recommended just one name in Mumbai for Assembly election. Heard that even that has been rejected.
As I had told the leadership earlier,in that case I will not participate in poll campaign.
Its my final decision.— Sanjay Nirupam (@sanjaynirupam) October 3, 2019
“I hope that the day has not yet come to say goodbye to the party. But the way leadership is behaving with me, it doesn’t seem far away,” he sulked in another tweet.
I hope that the day has not yet come to say good bye to party. But the way leadership is behaving with me, it doesn’t seem far away. https://t.co/B07biJWp5M
— Sanjay Nirupam (@sanjaynirupam) October 3, 2019
Sanjay Nirupam who is known for his crass language was replaced as the city Congress chief ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in March this year following complaints by a section of party leaders that he functioned in “unilateral” manner.
Former Union minister Milind Deora had replaced Nirupam. However, Deora had resigned from the post last month following the party’s debacle in the general elections. The party could not win even a single seat out of the six in Mumbai. Former MP Eknath Gaikwad is the acting president of the city unit at present.
Prior to this, the internal discord within the Congress showed up as the ex-party chief of Haryana, Ashok Tanwar alleged that the party of selling tickets to “undeserving” candidates and called his supporters to protest outside the AICC headquarters in Delhi on Wednesday.
“For 5yrs I gave my blood & sweat for Congress. Leadership in Haryana has been destroyed. We’ve been dedicated to the Party. Why give tickets to those who’ve recently joined&criticised Cong earlier,” said the ex-party chief while protesting outside Cong HQ.
Incidentally, both these states which are going for polls this month have been Congress’ arch-rival BJP’ stronghold. BJP swept both these states in the 2014 Assembly polls as well as the recent 2019 Lok Sabha elections. In order to defy BJP, Congress along with a re-worked strategy and organisation would have required the backing of its powerful patrons. But the way it is losing out on its supporters one after the other, future looks bleak for the grand old party.
