Pune Cong struggles to fill in void after Kalmadi

With civic elections approaching in the city, Congress party workers are now finding themselves direction-less in the absence of a strong local leader.

With civic elections approaching in the city, Congress party workers are now finding themselves direction-less in the absence of a strong local leader.

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Notwithstanding the factional discontent which suspended Congress MP Suresh Kalmadi generated because of his style of functioning, the three-time Lok Sabha member from Pune - ruled the civic politics, garnering the support of a majority of Corporators and having a final say in the development profile of this fast expanding city.

As "sabse bada khiladi, Suresh Kalmadi" (popular slogan of his supporters in Pune) remains in CBI custody, facing charges of alleged corruption in CWG, Kalmadi's detractors, who could not go beyond a whispering campaign when he was calling the shots, are now finding themselves head-less.

The party faces tough electoral battle against formidable NCP and the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in early next year's civic polls.

Apparently acknowledging the ground reality that no single person would have the clout enjoyed by Kalmadi to lead the party workers here, a group of prominent Congressmen are now speaking in one voice demanding "collective leadership" to decide on the political strategy for the party.

"If we don't evolve a collective leadership to strengthen the Congress after the recent development (Kalmadi's arrest and suspension from party), there is a distinct possibility that other parties would try to engineer an exodus from the party," cautioned Ulhas Pawar, an MLC considered close to Union Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh.