Ahead of Maharashtra Assembly polls on October 21, crisis within the Congress party came to the fore on Friday when party’s Mumbai president Sanjay Nirupam alleged a conspiracy against former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, “people working closely with Sonia Gandhi are showing bias,” he said.
He also predicted that Congress is going to win only 3-4 seats in Mumbai.
While speaking to reporters, Nirupam said, “The way candidates have been chosen, in Mumbai, you can leave aside three or four seats, Congress will lose its deposit in rest others.”
The 54 –year-old leader reiterated that he would not campaign for the Congress in the Maharashtra Assembly elections. Talking to journalists he said, “Now I will see you only on October 24, the day of the results.”
Nirupam, went public against his party and shared his views on Twitter in a series of tweets, on October 3. He said, “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. It’s my final decision.”
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
In another tweet, he said, “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.”
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 was removed from the post of Mumbai Congress chief right before the Lok Sabha Elections 2019 following complaints by some party leaders that he functioned in a dictatorial manner. Milind Deora took over from Nirupam but the Congress party’s dismal performance led Deora to resign, at which Nirupam tweeted and said, “Removal of Milind Deora as MRCC President is an appropriate decision taken by Congress because he was not able to perform and energise the cadre. Assembly elections are just 40 days away. The acting president must take everyone into confidence to give the Shiv Sena and BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] a respectable fight.”
The Congress party is facing infighting within several camps in most of the states, be it Maharashtra, Haryana, Rajasthan or Madhya Pradesh. In Haryana, interim party president Sonia Gandhi appointed Kumari Selja as the Haryana chief to placate the fighting between former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and former party chief Ashok Tanwar. In Rajasthan the infighting between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Deputy CM Sachin Pilot is clearly visible. And in MP too, the veteran leader Digvijaya Singh, the CM Kamal Nath and former MP from Guna and the scion of Scindia royal family from Gwalior, Jyotiraditya Scindia too are embroiled in power tussle.
This internal struggle could adversely affect Congress’ chances in the incoming Assembly elections and bypolls in several states.