Kalmadi may be fielded for Pune Lok Sabha seat, says Congress

“Kalmadi is a powerful Congress leader whose popularity cuts across party lines. Since there is a demand from a section of the party to bring him back, the Congress may withdraw his suspension,” said Sonal Patel.

In 2011, the Congress had suspended Kalmadi after he was arrested by the CBI in connection with irregularities in the Commonwealth Games projects. (File)

The Congress on Tuesday said there was a possibility of withdrawal of suspension of party leader and former Union minister Suresh Kalmadi and that he would be a strong contender for the Pune Lok Sabha seat.

“Kalmadi is a powerful Congress leader whose popularity cuts across party lines. Since there is a demand from a section of the party to bring him back, the Congress may withdraw his suspension,” said Sonal Patel, AICC secretary in charge for Western Maharashtra, while interacting with The Indian Express team at its Pune office.

When asked whether Kalmadi might be fielded from the Pune Lok Sabha seat in the 2019 elections, Patel said, “Why not? He is one of our probable candidates for the Pune Lok Sabha seat.” But she was quick to add that there were several local party leaders aspiring to contest from the seat. In 2011, the Congress had suspended Kalmadi after he was arrested by the CBI in connection with irregularities in the Commonwealth Games projects. Since then, Kalmadi, who is credited with the growth of the Congress in Pune city, has kept away from city politics.

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On NCP’s demand for contesting from Pune, Patel said there was unanimity among Congress leaders that only a Congress candidate should contest from the Pune seat.

“The Pune seat traditionally belongs to the Congress. The Congress has an emotional attachment with the seat. Besides, if the seat is handed to the NCP, the Congress will have no presence in Pune district as all the other seats are contested by the NCP,” she said. Patel ruled out any possibility of the Shiv Sena joining the Congress-led alliance in Maharashtra in light of the Sena constantly heaping praise on Congress president Rahul Gandhi and attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

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