Internal squabbles within Maharashtra Congress flare up before Lok Sabha ticket distribution

Congress’s performance in the 2019 Lok Sabha election was by far the worst with the party managing to win only one seat. This time it is rocked with high-profile defections, including that of former chief minister Ashok Chavan and others, even as the party’s internal bickering refuses to die down.

The case of Sangli, an insider said, is a classic one. “The Shiv Sena (UBT)’s candidate has a very fair chance against the sitting BJP MP Sanjay Patil. Vishal Patil has not been very active in the past few years and lost the 2019 elections by a huge margin. Unfortunately, Patole overlooked this and supported him, which rubbed the ally in the wrong way,” said the insider.

Congress insiders also said the continued influence of the old leadership within the party results in the neglect of numerous potential candidates, affecting the party’s chances in the upcoming election. “In seats of Ramtek, Amravati, and Gadchiroli the party could easily win if the right candidates are given tickets. However, the local leadership which includes the District Congress Committees are wary of allowing mass leaders to come in the front. Currently, Congress in Maharashtra is in need of a leader akin to the late YSR, yet the party’s dynamics hinder such emergence,” pointed out another Congress leader.

This feeling was shared by many other leaders who spoke to The Indian Express on the condition of anonymity.

With direct chains of communication between Rahul Gandhi and the second and third-rung leadership also not intact, many in the party feel the Congress would end up with the lowest share of votes among the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) constituents in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. “At present, many seats can be won if the right candidates who are mass leaders are given the ticket… the party seems to be doing exactly the opposite,” he said.