Cong rift to the fore

PUNE, Feb 17: Differences in the city Congress have resurfaced again with two party corporators, Nitin Jagtap and Ajit Darekar, refusing to withdraw from the election to the standing committee membership.

Both Jagtap and Darekar have sent letters to city Congress committee president Mohan Joshi and Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Prataprao Bhosale urging them to reconsider their decision to nominate former mayors Suresh Shewale and Dilip Tupe.

Darekar also met senior party leader Sharad Pawar and complained about Joshi8217;s style of functioning. Sources said Pawar assured Darekar that he would look into the matter.

Many corporators, strongly opposed to Joshi, may support Jagtap and Darekar. While the two maintained that they would withdraw from the fray if asked by the leaders to do so, they had already started mobilising support from the corporators.