The absence of Maharashtra PCC chief Nana Patole from the "Vajramooth" rally of the Maha Vikas Aghadi in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on Sunday, has sparked speculations of a rift in the MVA, especially relating to the issue of Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar. To add fuel to the fire, Patole has ridiculed claims made by MVA leaders that he could not make it to the rally as he was unwell. While the Congress played down Patole's absence, the BJP took a jibe, saying all was not well with the MVA. "Nana Patole was preparing to go to Surat where our party leader Rahul Gandhi filed his appeal against the local court's verdict, sentencing him to two years in a defamation case, on Monday. That's why he wasn't present at the rally," Congress chief spokesperson Atul Londhe told The Indian Express, denying reports that Patole was upset and asserting that he would be present at the next MVA rally. महाविकास आघाडीची 'वज्रमूठ'! आज मराठवाडा सांस्कृतिक मंडळ, छत्रपती संभाजीनगर येथे महाविकास आघाडीची संयुक्त सभा पार पडली. या सभेसाठी पक्षप्रमुख श्री. उद्धवसाहेब ठाकरे, विरोधीपक्ष नेते अजितदादा पवार, काँग्रेस नेते अशोक चव्हाण यांच्यासह 'मविआ'चे प्रमुख नेते उपस्थित होते. pic.twitter.com/ctUHtU8AU2 — Office of Uddhav Thackeray (@OfficeofUT) April 2, 2023 Shiv Sena (UBT) chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut said Patole could not come to the rally as he was unwell. "Patole is not well. He was resting at his Mumbai residence throughout Sunday. He was preparing to come to the rally, but was in no condition to attend it. He was barely able to speak. He wanted to take rest for a day so that he could go to Surat," he said. Raut said there would be 14-16 rallies of the MVA. "Patole would be present at MVA's next rally," he said. But contradicting Raut's claim that he was unwell, Patole told news channel ABP Majha: "I was in Delhi yesterday and am going to Surat. I'm in a fine fettle. There's nothing wrong with my health. Everyone saw how fit I was during the Bharat Jodo Yatra. If anyone is under the impression that I was not well, they should remove this doubt from their mind." Patole also said he had asked senior party leaders to attend the rally. However, he did not reveal whether he had spoken with Uddhav Thackeray or Ajit Pawar regarding his inability to attend the rally. Asked about Patole contradicting Raut, Congress chief spokesperson Atul Londhe said, "I've not spoken to Patole yet. We'll speak to him and then get back." Asked if Patole had an issue with the MVA, Londhe denied it. Playing down Patole’s absence, NCP leader Ajit Pawar argued: “All three parties have several senior leaders. We've therefore adopted a policy that only a limited number of leaders from the three parties will be present on stage, and only two leaders from each party will address the rally. And two senior leaders from the Congress were present on stage.” After Patole denied he was unwell, Raut suggested there could be other issues. “Maybe he had a problem sharing the stage with Balasaheb Thorat and Ashok Chavan. I don't know.,” Raut said. छत्रपती संभाजीनगर Maha Vikas Aghadi, fighting for our Constitution and Democracy वज्रमूठ pic.twitter.com/ahs8DrTJbq — Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) April 2, 2023 State BJP spokesperson Sandeep Khandekar said there was clearly more than meets the eye. "When the state president of a key ally suddenly goes missing, it shows there is something wrong in the MVA.” According to Khardekar, the reason behind Patole’s absence could be the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s criticism of Rahul Gandhi over his Savarkar remarks. "At the Malegaon rally, Uddhav Thackeray had said his party would not tolerate any insult to Savarkar. This was a direct attack on Rahul Gandhi, and could be the reason why Patole stayed away," Khardekar said. State BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule said Patole has been insisting that Savarkar was not acceptable to the Congress, and that there may be another reason: “Patole must have realised he would be sidelined at the rally and Uddhav Thackeray would hog the limelight.” Sanjay Shirsat, leader of the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, also took a swipe, saying: “By remaining absent, Patole showed he doesn't attach any importance to the rally." A Shiv Sena (UBT) claimed the party might complain to Rahul about Patole's behaviour, saying it did not send a good signal at a time that the MVA was trying to project a united front.
