Now, Balasaheb Thorat hits out at Congress leadership

Thorat, who spoke for the first time in four weeks after the controversy emerged, stood by his nephew Satyajeet Tambe and said that the party leadership in Delhi would take a call on it.

Mumbai: Exposing the internal feud within the party, senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat said that the Satyajeet Tambe ‘rebellion’ episode was part of the dirty politics within the party. Thorat, who spoke for the first time in four weeks after the controversy emerged, stood by his nephew Satyajeet and said that the party leadership in Delhi would take a call on it.

Thorat, who turned 70 on Sunday, addressed the people of his constituency in Sangamner online during the birthday celebration. He said that he and his party leadership would deal with the crisis and urged his constituents to continue to follow the Congress’ ideology. Thorat’s remarks have made it clear that, contrary to rumors, Satyajeet will not join the BJP. (Satish Bate/HT Photo)

Satyajeet won the Nashik division’s graduate constituency poll early this week as an independent, after the goof-up over the candidature at the party level. The Congress had fielded his father and sitting MLC Sudhir Tambe though the Tambes were keen on fielding Satyajeet. This led to the rebellion by Sudhir, who refused to file his own nomination and supported Satyajeet instead.

Satyajeet, after winning the seat, on Saturday hit out at Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole and said that he had hatched a conspiracy against the Tambes and Thorat. He also said that the wrong A and B forms were sent to them to push them out of the party and defame their family.

Thorat, without naming Patole or other leaders, echoed Satyajeet’s sentiments. “The internal politics within the party was distressing for me,” he said. “Some people spread misinformation about us and even said we were joining the BJP though the distribution of the latter’s seats was over. We have been following Congress ideology all our life and will continue to do so. I have informed the party leadership in Delhi about the entire episode and appropriate action will be taken.”

Patole, who has already rubbished the allegations, said he would speak at the appropriate time.

Thorat, who turned 70 on Sunday, addressed the people of his constituency in Sangamner online during the birthday celebration. He said that he and his party leadership would deal with the crisis and urged his constituents to continue to follow the Congress’ ideology. Thorat’s remarks have made it clear that, contrary to rumors, Satyajeet will not join the BJP.

Thorat also announced that there were attempts to harass him and his followers in Sangamner. Without taking the name of his local bête noire, BJP revenue minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, he said, “Ever since the change in government, development works have been deliberately halted and attempts made to stop the businesses and industries run by our workers. But this constituency is known for fighting back, and we will fight back together.”