Congress opposes ticket to Harshvardhan Patil by NCP (SP) in Indapur

Patil – who, in 2019 left the Congress for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), joined the NCP (SP) last week

Nationalist Congress Party/NCP (SP)’s nomination of Harshvardhan Patil from Indapur has reignited the dispute over the ownership of Congress Bhavan in Indapur, with the Congress now opposing Patil’s nomination from this assembly constituency.

Jagtap warned that if Patil does not return Congress Bhavan, the issue will be communicated to the voters in Indapur assembly constituency. (HT FILE)

Patil – who, in 2019 left the Congress for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and then joined the NCP (SP) last week – is currently retaining control of the building housing Congress Bhavan in Indapur despite opposition from party leaders.

Congress district unit chief Sanjay Jagtap on Sunday said, “Unless Harshvardhan Patil hands over the party office back to the Congress, he should not be considered for the Indapur assembly constituency by alliance partner NCP (SP).”

Jagtap warned that if Patil does not return Congress Bhavan, the issue will be communicated to the voters in Indapur assembly constituency. He demanded that the NCP (SP) refrain from considering Patil as a candidate from Indapur till such time the Congress officially transfers control of the party.

“Patil should not think about candidacy till such time Congress Bhavan is returned,” Jagtap said.

Earlier in 2019, Patil joined the BJP and fought NCP candidate Datta Bharne in the assembly polls that year. This time, Bharne is with the Ajit Pawar-led NCP and the Indapur seat is likely to go to the NCP in the Mahayuti. Jagtap alleged that Patil damaged the Indapur Congress Bhavan when he left the party and that the building is not under the Congress’s control owing to altered ownership documents listing the Indapur taluka Congress Charitable Trust. According to Jagtap, fake documents were created to support the change in ownership. The discord dates back to 2015 when the Congress Charitable Trust was established and the building was transferred under its name. In 2019, the district Congress raised concerns, leading to a court case and a ruling that reinstated the Indapur Congress Committee as the building’s owner. In January 2022, Jagtap and his supporters attempted to take control of Congress Bhavan but the situation was resolved after police intervention. At that time, Jagtap maintained that the building was rightfully in the Congress’s possession.

Refuting Jagtap’s claims, Patil said that the ownership dispute is a legal matter and criticised Jagtap’s actions in breaking the lock of Congress Bhavan. Patil claimed that the property has been maintained by the trust.

All said, the ownership of Congress Bhavan remains a contentious issue as both sides prepare for the upcoming polls.