Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole has said “traitors” from the party who cross-voted in the recent elections to 11 legislative council seats have been identified and will be punished.

“The same “traitors” had ensured the defeat of the Congress leader Chandrakant Handore in the council elections two years ago,” Mr. Patole claimed on July 13.

“A trap was laid this time and they have been identified. They will be punished so that no one dares to betray the party again,” Mr. Patole told reporters in Mumbai, without taking any name.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, while talking to reporters on July 14, said the Congress has accepted that cross-voting took place and they will take action accordingly.

“The Central government is going to observe the imposition of Emergency as ‘Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas’. Isn’t it unconstitutional to get MLCs elected by MLAs who are facing disqualification? Isn’t it unconstitutional to purchase MLAs by bribing them? BJP is the real murderer of the Constitution,” Mr. Raut alleged.

Following a split in the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the Shiv Sena (UBT) headed by Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP) had moved court seeking disqualification of MLAs of the parties led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar.

The ruling ‘Mahyuti’ in the State, comprising the Shiv Sena led by CM Shinde, the BJP and Ajit Pawar-headed NCP, on July 12 won all the nine seats it contested in the biennial elections to 11 seats in the legislative council.

The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) faced a setback as a candidate backed by Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP) lost. At least seven Congress MLAs defied the party’s directive while voting, results showed.

“The Congress, which has 37 MLAs, had fixed a quota of 30 first preference votes for its candidate Pradyna Satav, and seven remaining votes were to go to Milind Narvekar, candidate of the ally Shiv Sena (UBT),” party sources earlier said.

Eventually, Mr. Satav got 25 and Narvekar 22 first preference votes, which meant at least seven Congress MLAs cross-voted. Jayant Patil of the Peasants and Workers’ Party (PWP), supported by the NCP (SP), lost.

The 288-member legislative Assembly, with current strength of 274, was the electoral college for the council polls. Each winning candidate required 23 votes.

The BJP is the largest party in the Assembly with 103 members, followed by the Shiv Sena-38, NCP- 42, Congress-37, Shiv Sena (UBT)-15 and NCP (SP)-10.

Mumbai:

Cameramen in tow, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole pointed to the cracks on the road, alleging corruption in the construction of Atul Setu sea bridge, also known as Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link (MTHL), which connects south Mumbai to Navi Mumbai, within months of inauguration.

Mr Patole, who inspected the bridge during the day, claimed that the construction quality of the bridge was poor and that a portion of the road has caved in by one foot. A wooden stick in hand, he lowered it in the gap between the cracks, spotlighting the seriousness of the matter.

“A portion of the Atal Setu bridge has developed cracks within three months of the inauguration and a half-a-kilometre-long stretch of the road near Navi Mumbai has caved in by a foot. The state has spent Rs 18,000 crore for the MTHL,” said Mr Patole.

However, the ruling BJP as well as the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which is the nodal agency for the project, said that the cracks were not on the bridge itself but on the approach road from Ulwe in Navi Mumbai.

“There have been rumours circulating about cracks on the MTHL bridge. We want to clarify that these cracks are not on the bridge itself but on the approach road connecting MTHL from Ulwe towards Mumbai,” said the MMRDA.

“Stop maligning Atal Setu,” the BJP posted on X.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis asserted that there is no danger to Atal Setu and termed the allegations as part of Congress’ “long term plan to create a rift with the help of lies”.

“There is no crack on Atal Setu. Nor is there any danger to Atal Setu. This picture is of the approach road. But one thing is clear that the Congress party has made a long term plan to create a rift with the help of lies. Talks of constitutional amendments during elections, unlocking of EVMs through phone after elections and now such lies. Only the people of the country will defeat this ‘Darar’ plan and the corrupt behaviour of Congress,” Devendra Fadnavis posted on X.

Built at a cost of Rs 17,840 crore, this six-lane bridge is 21.8 km long with a 16.5 km section over the sea

“This is a service road. This is a connecting part of the main bridge. These are minor cracks and they are being filled up and will be repaired by today itself. There has been no traffic disruption because of this,” said Kailash Ganatra, Project Head, Atal Setu, PKG4.
 

Mumbai:

Maharashtra Congress boss Nana Patole landed has landed in controversy after a video circulated online showed an unidentified man – believed to be a party worker – washing his feet. The video, shared by news agency IANS, showed Mr Patole sitting in a car as the party worker cleans his feet.

The top Congress leader – who seemed to make no effort to stop the party worker – was in Akola district and reportedly spent the day outdoors, where the ground had turned muddy after rain.

He has since clarified the sequence of events and said it had been blown out of proportion, noting he had asked for some water to wash his feet as they were covered in mud. “I come from a farmer family and am used to having my feet covered in mud… So I had asked a party worker to bring water. He poured it and I washed my feet myself,” Mr Patole said Tuesday at a press conference.

But as soon as the video went viral the BJP pounced; Shehzad Poonawalla posted on X about the Congress’ “nawabi” and “feudal” mindset. “Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole’s gets his leg and feet washed by a party worker… they treat voters and workers like ghulam (slaves) and themselves as kings and queens. Imagine how they treat people without coming to power!”

Congress has a Nawabi Feudal Shehzada mindset

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole’s gets his leg and feet washed by a party worker in Akola…

They treat Janta and workers like Ghulam & themselves like Kings & Queens

Imagine how they treat people without coming to… pic.twitter.com/dmzeSUNZxB

— Shehzad Jai Hind (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Shehzad_Ind) June 18, 2024

“What will they do if they by mistake come to power? Nana Patole must apologise and so must the Congress,” Mr Poonawalla raged, upping pressure on the Congress and the opposition alliance – which turned the table on his party in the Lok Sabha election – ahead of a state poll later this year.

The BJP’s Telangana leader also attacked Mr Patole.

“PM (Narendra) Modiji upholds dignity by not allowing anyone to touch his feet… while Congress leader Nana Patole has karyakartas wash his feet. The deep-seated slavery mindset in Congress starts with the Nehru-Gandhi family and pervades the entire party,” the BJP’s Shanti Kumar wrote on X.

PM Shri @narendramodi ji upholds dignity by not allowing anyone to touch his feet, while #CONgress leader Nana Patole has Karyakartas wash his feet.

The deep-seated slavery mindset in @INCIndia starts with the Nehru-Gandhi family and pervades the entire party. pic.twitter.com/4kgeinyuc4

— BJPShanthikumar (@BJPShanthikumar) June 18, 2024

Mr Patole, however, declared himself unbothered by criticism, and counterattacked by claiming others received similar treatment but were not attacked. He also tossed barbs at federal probe agencies – the ED and CBI, which the opposition has oft accused of targeting its leaders on orders from the BJP, particularly before elections – and attacked the centre over the farmers’ protests.

“I am not bothered by such allegations… there were others getting the same treatment. Karyakartas (party workers) were massaging heads and legs… why was that not shown?” Mr Patole hit back.

“The (party) worker was pouring water on my feet as they were muddy. There was no tap…” he said, attacking the ruling alliance of the BJP and splinter factions of the Shiv Sena and NCP groups.

“What about ED and CBI ka keechad on those in power… why is the (central) government not helping farmers escape the karje ka keechad (the debt trap)?” Mr Patole continued.

“Thank you for giving publicity,” he also said, appearing to taunt the BJP for its criticism.

The BJP slipped to a big defeat in the 2024 Maharashtra Lok Sabha election. In 2019 the party swept 23 of the state’s 48 seats, while the then-undivided Sena, then an ally, picked up 18 more.

READ | “Race Starts Now”: Maharashtra Congress On Lok Sabha Poll Win

However, this time – with the Sena and NCP both having splintered, and seen the breakaway factions declared the ‘original’ by the Election Commission – the opposition INDIA alliance was the big winner.

The INDIA group won 31 seats and that is expected to give it an edge when Assembly polls are held later this year. Days after the bloc’s big score Mr Patole said, “The real race starts now…”

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Mumbai:

Two factions of the Congress came to blows during a meeting to discuss the Lok Sabha seats under the Nagpur division. The meeting had been called by Maharashtra Congress president Nanata Patole.

The fight started as Nagpur Congress President Vikas Thackeray and party leader Narendra Jichkar jostled for the mic. Both the leaders wanted to address the crowd. During the event, Mr Patole, leader of the opposition in the Legislative Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar and former MP Vilas Muttemwar were present on the stage.

Sources said that some Congress leaders and workers were also angry over Mr Wadettiwar recent remarks against Rahul Gandhi. The groups started arguing as soon as he got on the stage.

The fight continued for nearly half an hour despite Mr Patole’s calls to maintain calm.

Sources say that the fight was between two warring factions of the Nagpur Congress. While one Mr Muttemwar, the other one backs former ministers Nitin Raut and Satish Chaturvedi.

Earlier this week, there were reports of a rift within the party during the Congress Working Committee Meet over a statement to condemn the Hamas attack on Israel.

The war between Israel and the Hamas – in which over 3,000 people have died so far and more than three lakh displaced – spawned a political row in India after the Congress released a statement expressing the party’s “long-standing support for the rights of the Palestinian people”.

Sources said the Congress’ statement highlights divisions within the party, and that the section on the Israel-Hamas war had not been well-received by all those at the CWC meeting.

The BJP, which has set out its stall in support of Israel, hit out at the communique and accused the opposition party of supporting terrorism and being a “hostage to minority vote bank politics”.

Mumbai:

As the third meeting of the INDIA bloc is set to begin in Mumbai tomorrow, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Wednesday said that seat sharing in the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) will be done as per the merit of the parties in different states.

Nana Patole said that a discussion on this will be held in upcoming meetings.  

Speaking to ANI, Nana Patole said, “Our main goal is to end this dictatorship. This decision (seat sharing) will be taken as per the merit of the parties in different states. This will be discussed in the upcoming meetings of INDIA.”

Earlier today West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee arrived in Mumbai and said that “Khela Hoga” meaning the “game is on” as the opposition parties huddle up in Mumbai ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Speaking to reporters after tying ‘rakhi’ to former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray at his residence on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, Mamata Banerjee said, “Hoga hoga, khela hoga.”

On the number of seats, the TMC seeks to win the Lok Sabha elections, the TMC chief said, “Many”.

Maharashtra BJP Chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Wednesday said that the leaders of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) will have enjoyment for two days in the state and then go back.

Speaking to ANI, Bawankule said, “I feel they (INDIA alliance) are organising the meeting keeping in mind that they are preparing for a huge war against PM Modi. We are going to the homes of people and the INDIA bloc is organising their meeting in a hotel. They will do the meeting, have enjoyment for two days and go back.”

Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam said that all the parties who are in alliance with the BJP will come under the umbrella of the INDIA bloc.

“When our first meeting was held in Patna, we were not aware of the details and what will be the name of the alliance. There were 16 parties there (in Patna), in the Bengaluru meeting. The number increased to 26 and now we have 28 parties. Slowly all the parties with BJP will come under this INDIA umbrella,” he said.

Meanwhile West Bengal BJP leader Rahul Sinha on Wednesday called the leaders of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc “lost souls” and said that this alliance does not have any vision for the country.   

“All these are lost souls. Whenever the election approaches, all these lost souls gather together to hold discussions in order to escape the investigation related to their corruption. This is an alliance that does not have any vision or goal,” he said.

He said people of the country would never accept the INDIA bloc.

“The number of contenders for Prime Minister is equal to the number of parties in their coalition. People of the country will not accept such an alliance. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi becomes Prime Minister again, all these people will fall apart,” he said.

Congress leader Ashok Chavan on Wednesday said that leaders of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc have come together to save democracy in the country.

Addressing a joint press conference in Mumbai, Ashok Chavan said, “It is our responsibility to save India. Earlier we were an alliance of 26 parties and now we are 28. Maharashtra has led from the front during the independence struggle. Today it will again play an important role. We are raising questions on unemployment, and inflation. It is not a personal fight but a fight to save the nation.”

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said that all the lovers of the country have united under the INDIA bloc.

“All lovers of the country are here. We are here to save Bharat mata. We are against authoritarian government and political gimmicks. The way INDIA bloc will move forward, the Centre will start giving gas cylinders for free. The Centre itself is running on gas. Our Constitution needs to be saved from the tyrant forces,” he said.   

CPI leader D Raja also arrived in Mumbai and said that the BJP has to be removed to save the nation.

“It will be a step forward because we’ve discussed enough on the issues. Now, I think the agenda will be to plan out our programs and reach out to the people. In the forthcoming elections, the BJP has to be removed from power. If at all we have to save the nation and its future, BJP has to be removed,” he said.

Union Minister Arjun Munda targeted the INDIA bloc and said that this alliance is putting their energy into thinking about how to destabilise the country.

Meanwhile, the Aam Admi Party (AAP) on Wednesday clarified that Arvind Kejriwal is not in the race to become the Prime Minister.

Delhi Minister Atishi on Wednesday said that Arvind Kejriwal is not a candidate for the Prime Minister’s post.

Reacting to the remarks made by AAP’s National Spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar that Kejriwal can be an ideal Prime Minister for the nation, Atishi said, “This might be the personal opinion of the chief spokesperson. But Arvind Kejriwal is not at all a part of the PM race. AAP is a part of the INDIA alliance because India needs to be saved today.”

“The country, its constitution and its democracy need to be saved. I officially say that Arvind Kejriwal is not a candidate for the PM post,” she added.  

The opposition parties have come together to take on the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which is led by PM Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and prevent it from winning a third straight term at the Centre in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The first meeting of the joint opposition convened in Patna on June 23 and the second meeting was held in Bengaluru on July 17-18. The third meeting is slated to be held in Mumbai on August 31-September 1.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)