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Internal rift in Congress? 3 Pune leaders file nomination as independents
Growing discontent within Pune's Congress has led Aba Bagul, Kamal Vyavhare, and Manish Anand to run as independents in the upcoming elections.
Growing discontent among Congress leaders in Pune has reached a boiling point, resulting in three prominent figures - Aba Bagul, Kamal Vyavhare, and Manish Anand - deciding to contest as independent candidates in the upcoming assembly elections. This rebellion stems from grievances over ticket allocations amidst the ongoing seat-sharing negotiations within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance.
Aba Bagul, a seasoned politician with 40 years of experience as a Pune Municipal Corporation councillor, will contest from the Parvati Assembly seat. Kamal Vyavhare, the city’s first woman mayor, aims for the Kasba Assembly constituency, while Anand will run for the Shivaji Nagar seat. Notably, these constituencies were initially assigned to Congress candidates—Ravindra Dhangekar and Datta Bahirat—while the Parvati seat went to NCP's Ashwini Kadam.
In a statement reflecting the prevailing frustration, Bagul highlighted the diminishing power of Congress, saying "Congress is at every corner of Maharashtra, but we have changed the policy. we took the Shivsena along for government formation but due to this, Congress is going down. we are getting fewer seats in seat sharing. The NCP is also pressing Congress. Places where NCP has no existence are even getting seats. NCP has been unable to win Parvati Assembly seats for last 15 years, despite the fact that this seat has been given to them. My point is that we want to stop the BJP. Congress should be strong but Congress is getting minimised. I am firmed to contest as an independent candidate from the Parvati Assembly seat. My effort is to protect Congress and its cadre here,"
Kamal Vyavhare, who has been with Congress since 1987, voiced her disillusionment after being denied a ticket for the Kasba constituency—a position she has long sought. "I have always been a ground-level party worker... Just because we cannot reach Rahul Gandhi, that may be the reason we are being denied the opportunity," she said, affirming her commitment to the community and confidence in their support as she embarks on her independent campaign.
Manish Anand, a member of Congress since 2010, also expressed betrayal and frustration over the party’s decision-making. "Datta Bahirat, who is being declared the candidate for Shivaji Nagar, had promised to leave the seat for me... I have filled my nomination as an independent candidate," he stated, underscoring his supporters’ demands for representation.
Maharashtra polls
The emergence of these independent candidates has raised alarms about potential further dissent within the Congress party, particularly in Pune, a region once dominated by influential leader Suresh Kalmadi. This internal conflict reflects broader struggles within Congress as it navigates the complexities of the MVA alliance and its electoral strategies.
As the state assembly elections draw near, the developments in Pune will be closely monitored, especially in light of how rebel candidates might influence the electoral landscape. With the MVA and Mahayuti alliances vying for power, Congress's failure to maintain internal unity could have significant ramifications for its future in Maharashtra.
