Cong Bhavan abuzz with supporters din

Kalmadi being granted bail was flashed,several Kalmadi supporters rushed to Congress Bhavan to celebrate his release.

THE scene at Congress Bhavan could not have been more dramatic. On Thursday,as the City Congress jumbo committee started conducting the interviews of probable candidates for the civic polls,in the backdrop a huge hoarding of Sonia Gandhi,Manmohan Singh,Rahul Gandhi,Manikrao Thakre and Abhay Chhajed,a cheering mob of Suresh Kalmadi supporters outside the hall portrayed a face that might change the equations in the forthcoming polls.

Minutes after the news of Kalmadi being granted bail was flashed,several Kalmadi supporters rushed to Congress Bhavan to celebrate his release. He may have been expelled from the party,but the fact that he has been granted bail has doubled the enthusiasm among common party workers. This will change the equations, said a party worker.

Crackers,banners,dhols and roars in support of Kalmadi mingled with the campaigners roars. What was visible was the unexpected entry of the Kalmadi clan,confident of playing a decisive role in the forthcoming polls.

While the interviews were being conducted on the first floor of Congress Bhavan,groups of Kalmadi supporters could be seen running through the passage shouting pro-Kalmadi slogans,calling for the attention of the panel that consisted of,besides others,forests minister Patangrao Kadam and cooperatives minister Harshawardhan Patil both of whom are known to have initially attempted to play a decisive role in the civic poll campaign in Kalmadis absence.

The party workers are charged again. About 400- 500 supporters gathered at Congress Bhavan and distributed sweets. Though he will not participate directly in the decision-making process,his presence in the city will ensure that things will be controlled from outside by him, said another senior party member.

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