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Pune Congress chief backs Rupali Chakankar while his party seeks her arrest
Chakankar, who resigned from her post on Friday following criticism from across political parties, has come under scrutiny for her alleged association with Kharat
The Congress in Pune has found itself in the middle of an internal rift after city unit president Arvind Shinde publicly backed former Maharashtra State Commission for Women chairperson Rupali Chakankar, even as sections within the party staged protests against her over the ongoing controversy linked to Ashok Kharat. Shinde even offered Chakankar to join the Congress.
Chakankar, who resigned from her post on Friday following criticism from across political parties, has come under scrutiny for her alleged association with Kharat. The episode has triggered sharp reactions, with the Congress taking seemingly contradictory positions.
Shinde’s remarks in support of Chakankar have drawn criticism from within his own party.
“It is wrong to single out Chakankar and level personal allegations against her. If needed, I will appeal to the party leadership to allow her to join the Congress,” Shinde said.
He further argued that her presence in a viral video, purportedly showing her washing the feet of a godman during Guru Purnima, should not be construed as evidence of wrongdoing.
“Many politicians and ministers perform similar rituals before their gurus. Will chief minister Devendra Fadnavis act against all of them?” Shinde questioned.
However, senior Congress leaders were quick to distance the party from his stand. State leader Vijay Wadettiwar said Shinde’s statement was his personal opinion. “The Kharat case has brought disrepute to Maharashtra. Who is Arvind Shinde? He may be supporting her due to personal reasons, but that is not the party’s official position,” Wadettiwar said.
Echoing this, Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe said the party’s stance was “very clear”.
“What Kharat has done is inexcusable. Chakankar’s association with him is evident. She was entrusted with the responsibility of safeguarding women’s interests in the state, but has failed in that duty. She has no moral right to continue in the position,” Londhe said, justifying the demand for her resignation.
Adding to the discord, the Pune city Congress women’s wing staged a protest on Fergusson College (FC) Road on Saturday against Kharat and those allegedly supporting him. Led by city unit president Swati Shinde, the protesters demanded action not only against Kharat but also against political figures linked to him.
“The state government must arrest ministers and Chakankar who supported Kharat,” she said.
The contrasting positions, with the city chief backing Chakankar and the women’s wing protesting against her, have once again exposed factionalism within the Pune Congress unit. Party insiders, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the episode reflects ongoing groupism, with differing camps taking public stands on sensitive issues.
Meanwhile, Chakankar has denied any wrongdoing and accused her critics of targeting her unfairly. “Many people were in contact with Kharat, but I am being singled out because I am a woman. I will issue legal notices to those making baseless allegations,” she told the media.
