Friday, Apr 19, 2024 | Last Update : 09:24 AM IST
AICC’s ‘outsider candidate’ choice for Maharashtra no surprise
The AICC has had a history of imposing “outsider” candidates on Maharashtra. While Ghulam Nabi Azad, P.V.
The AICC has had a history of imposing “outsider” candidates on Maharashtra. While Ghulam Nabi Azad, P.V. Narsimha Rao had won parliamentary elections from the state, Rajeev Shukla has been representing it in the Rajya Sabha for the last two terms and P. Chidambaram is no exception either.
Mr Azad, currently the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, had won the Lok Sabha elections from Washim in 1989 and 1985, while former Prime Minister late P.V. Narsimha Rao fought from Ramtek (1984 and 1989), which used to be the safest seat for the Congress. However, after becoming the PM in 1991, Mr Rao had contested left it for Nandyal in Andhra Pradesh.
Vishvjit P. Singh was also nominated for the Rajya Sabha seat from Maharashtra in 1982-88 &1988-94). So, the AICC’s decisions of fielding outsiders in Maharashtra this year too has not evoked much surprise.
“We don’t have leaders like Vasantdada Patil or Sharad Pawar who can oppose the imposition of outsiders. PCC chief can’t resist as he has been facing charges in the Aadarsha housing scam, CLP leader had a history of joining the Shiv Sena and Narayan Rane had been eyeing to be a legislator despite two defeats in the last two years,” said some senior leaders on the condition of anonymity.
“Vasantdada Patil’s two statements, ‘Mumbai is in Maharashtra but Maharashtra is not seen in Mumbai and the attempts to make Mumbai a Union Territory’, had revived the Shiv Sena in 1985,” they pointed out.
A former minister said, “We can’t completely rule out of how big houses are influencing the party’s decisions. If the Congress chief ministers in Karnataka, Uttarakhand can oppose `to outsiders, why can’t Maharashtra PCC,” he asked.
Some Congress legislators from Maharashtra had opposed the move of fielding an “outsider” recently but the PCC had clarified that the party will not be adoption any such resolution.
Legislator Virendra Jagtap had earlier drawn the attention of the PCC on how a non-Marathi MP is spending his MPLAD fund in the constituency of a BJP legsilator.
