From seat sharing to infighting, Maharashtra Cong in-charge Chennithala stares at a mammoth task | Mumbai News

Chennithala, the former Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly, is no stranger to Maharashtra Congress’ infighting as he was sent by party president Mallikarjun Kharge in February 2023 to assess the situation after Congress legislative party leader Balasaheb Thorat resigned allegedly over his feud with state unit chief Nana Patole over the legislative council election involving Thorat’s brother in law Sudhir Tambe and nephew Satyajit Tambe.

“Maharashtra Congress had no in-charge since the Karnataka elections as earlier in-charge H K Patil was made the Cabinet minister in there. Ever since, the leaders from different groups have been approaching Delhi to sort out differences or to complain against each other. There was no mechanism to sort out grievances at the state level itself,” a senior Congress leader said.

Three months ago, several Congress leaders had gone to Delhi to complain against Patole’s “authoritative” manner of functioning.

While Delhi supported Patole on several occasions, he too was rapped by Delhi’s high command two months ago for announcing names of party leaders for initial seat sharing talks within the MVA without taking permission.

The infighting within the Congress’ Vidarbha unit was visible during the winter session of the state legislature where both Patole and leader of opposition Vijay Wadettiwar were seen working individually instead of attacking the government as an united opposition.

Other senior Congress leaders, except for Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad, did not corner the government.

Despite Patole’s tall claims of growing public support, the Maharashtra Congress has not managed to undertake a single statewide programme after the completion of Bharat Jodo Yatra of Lok Sabha MP Rahul Gandhi. The state unit’s first mammoth task will be the successful arrangement of party’s foundation day rally on December 28 at Nagpur.

Apart from inner-party problems, Chennithala also stares at the task of ensuring hassle-free Lok Sabha seat sharing within the MVA — comprising Congress, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar – led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The party had won only one seat in 2019 Lok Sabha polls. However, the split in the Sena and the NCP has forced all three parties to realise the respective ground strength.

“Thackerays have already said that the seat sharing will have to take place at the earliest. Whether we (Congress) will insist on remaining in the big brother’s position or we will compromise in the larger interest are points that will be handled delicately,” the leader said.