NCP dims Cong chances in Chandrapur

NAGPUR, AUG 29: The Congress had succeeded in giving a bloody nose to the saffron alliance in Chandrapur in the last Lok Sabha elections. But at that time there was no contender for its votebank in the form of the Nationalist Congress Party NCP. And it managed to not let rebellion hamper its chances.

No wonder, the Congress had taken leads in 1998 in all the Assembly segments in the district. But with the birth of the NCP after Sharad Pawar8217;s divorce from the Congress and stepped-up rebellion in the party, the Congress is likely to be badly affected at the hustings. Save Bhadravati, the party and its ally Republican Party of India have a tough task on their hands in all the constituencies, thanks to rebels and the fielding of low-profile candidates.

Besides, a powerful group led by former State minister Wamanrao Gaddamwar is fuming over the ticket distribution and is not campaigning for the official candidates. A couple of rebel candidates have also been put into the fray by the group. Of these, tworebels Deepak Jaiswal and Ashok Kisanlal promise to make life tough for Congress-RPI nominees Vinayak Bangde in Chandrapur and Marotrao Kamble in Bramhapuri.