Infighting in Mumbai Congress worsens; senior leaders ''upset'' with Sanjay Nirupam
Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service
Mumbai, February 6
Senior leaders of the Maharashtra Congress want the party's central leadership to intervene urgently after infighting in its Mumbai unit worsened.
On Tuesday, former South Mumbai Member of Parliament Milind Deora indicated that he would not be contesting the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections due to the infighting in the party.
"INCIndia is leading a powerful, united campaign across India. Infighting cannot, and should not, be allowed to threaten our base in Mumbai. I appeal to all Congress leaders in Mumbai to unite as a team. We owe this much to our party and to Congress president Rahul Gandhi," Deora said on Twitter.
Party sources say Deora's comments come after Mumbai Regional Congress Committee president Sanjay Nirupam sought to change his constituency from Mumbai North to Mumbai North-West. Nirupam, who lost to BJP's Gopal Shetty from the former constituency in 2014, justifies his shift on the grounds that he lives in Mumbai North West's Andheri and has been working with the people for the last 25 years.
Several senior Congress party workers in Mumbai who are opposed to Nirupam, who moved to the party from the Shiv Sena, are keen on Deora taking over the reins in the city. Milind is the son of veteran Congress leader, the late Murli Deora, who presided over the Mumbai unit of the Congress for years.
Though the Congress party under Nirupam fared poorly in the
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections of last year, it has not dampened his relations with the party leadership.
Nirupam's supporters say it would continue in the saddle and also play a major role in the distribution of tickets during the Lok Sabha elections.
On the other hand Deora, who is voicing the opinions of the old guard, told television channels here that people are feeling left out and would rather sit at home instead of participating in the elections.
Incidentally former Congress MP Priya Dutt, whose animosity with
Nirupam was well known, has already announced her retirement from active politics.
