Congress Infighting in Nagpur: Bunty Shelke and Nana Patole at Odds
The ongoing infighting within the Congress party in Nagpur has reached a new height, with accusations flying between Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole and Nagpur Congress candidate Bunty Shelke. The tensions intensified after Shelke leveled serious allegations against Patole, prompting local Congress leaders to step in and warn Shelke to stop his attacks or face consequences.
Bunty Shelke has accused Nana Patole of deliberately sabotaging the Congress party's chances in Maharashtra during the recent elections. Shelke claimed that Patole, whom he called an "RSS agent," intentionally allowed the party to lose by failing to support candidates like himself. Shelke alleged that Patole, through his supporters, assisted BJP candidate Pravin Datke during the election.
In a further accusation, Shelke claimed that Patole did not support his campaign in Nagpur and refused to send Congress leaders for campaigning. Shelke also expressed frustration that he had to fight the election alone, despite being the official Congress candidate.
On Monday, Shelke attempted to hold a meeting at the Congress office in Nagpur, but the office was locked. Forced to hold the meeting outside, Shelke continued his attacks on Patole. In response, Congress officials held a press conference and warned Shelke to refrain from making such public statements.
They emphasized that any internal issues should be discussed within the party, not aired publicly. They made it clear that further derogatory comments against Patole would not be tolerated and that Shelke should stop his public outbursts.
Congress leaders also took the opportunity to defend Patole and questioned Shelke's performance as a leader. They pointed out that Shelke's success in garnering 80,000 votes was due to the hard work of Congress workers in Nagpur. They criticized Shelke for falsely accusing the party of not supporting him during the election.
Several party workers expressed dissatisfaction with Shelke’s leadership, calling him inactive during his tenure as a municipal corporator. They also questioned how he could have received votes if he was so ineffective in his role.
The growing rift between Shelke and Patole has sparked widespread discussions about leadership and internal party dynamics in Congress. With the state’s political situation in flux, these tensions are expected to continue creating challenges for the party as it navigates its future in Maharashtra politics.