Pawar remark threatens to spoil RPI party in Chimur

NAGPUR, February 11: Maharashtra Congress strongman Sharad Pawar's remark that the Congress-Republican Party of India alliance was facing a ...

NAGPUR, February 11: Maharashtra Congress strongman Sharad Pawar’s remark that the Congress-Republican Party of India alliance was facing a tough time in Chimur constituency has caused a flutter in political circles here.

Pawar made the statement yesterday after concluding his whirlwind tour of Vidarbha region that covered seven out of the region’s 11 Lok Sabha constituencies. His analysis has not only jeopardised the chances of RPI candidate Jogendra contesting from Chimur constituency as a Cong-RPI alliance nominee, but also created a flutter in both Congress and RPI camp. As the RPI leadership reacted with dismay and its workers expressed resentment, the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee was quick to launch a damage control exercise.

Taking into consideration statement’s impact on Cong-RPI understanding in other seats, MPCC President Ranjit Deshmukh summoned presidents of Chandrapur and Gadchiroli District Congress Committees for consultations. Deshmukh said he would be consulting them beforetaking steps to coordinate the party campaign in Chimur constituency.

Deshmukh attempting to tone down the implications of the remarks, said what probably Pawar meant was that there was no coordination in party’s organisational set up in the constituency because of its peculiar location. He added that corrective measures would be taken without further loss of time to ensure victory of the RPI candidate.

Significantly, a similar remark by Pawar during the campaign for 1996 polls when he commented that the party was facing an upward climb in two constituencies in Vidarbha region was instrumental in improving the chances of RPIin Amravati and Akola. The Congress lost all five seats at stake. The results came quaked the anti-Pawar lobby, which then accused him of deliberately making the statement to damage their prospects. The lobby, which is not fully recovered from the shock, has started suspecting Pawar again as his analysis about Chimur constituency was carried prominently by local dailies.