As Maharashtra braces for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections and the Assembly polls, dissent is brewing within the Congress unit in the state. Some leaders have reportedly sought the Congress High Command to bring in leadership changes to the Mumbai unit of the party, said reports.
Currently, the Mumbai unit of the party is helmed by Varsha Gaikwad, who was recently elected to the Lok Sabha from Mumbai North East. Some leaders of the Congress, re-energised after the good show in the Lok Sabha elections, have reportedly written to Party president Mallikarjun Kharge accusing the present Mumbai Regional Congress Committee (MRCC) leadership of not taking leaders in Mumbai in confidence.
However, the letter makes no direct request to change Gaikwad, ANI quoted a senior Congress leader. The letter, signed by 16 Congress leaders, stresses the need to focus on the organisational framework in Mumbai and enhancing coordination among party workers in Mumbai.
Those who signed the letter include senior leaders Chandrakant Handore, Arif Nassim Khan, Dr Amarjit Manhas and J C Chandurkar.
The letter also mentions that senior leaders are not even being updated about the regular programmes of the MRCC and the lack of coordination could be harmful in the upcoming assembly and BMC elections. To form an MVA government in Maharashtra, a victory in Mumbai is an important precondition, the letter says.
However, one of the senior leaders told the Economic Times that the leaders wanted Gaikawad removed. He added that the new MP has not been able to build the organisation and has been unilaterally making decisions. He also accused Gaikwad of ignoring measures suggested by other leaders to improve the Congress's performance.
"There is no dialogue, she does what she wants. Consequently, there are divisions within the party. If this goes on, then we will not be able to win the Mumbai Municipal Corporation polls, forget the upcoming assembly polls," said the senior leader.
Meanwhile, the leaders are meeting at AICC headquarters in New Delhi to prepare for the Maharastra Assembly polls. Most of the signatories to the letter are already in Delhi to attend the meeting at 4 pm and are expected to deliberate on the topic.