Following drubbing in BMC polls, Mumbai Cong chief Sanjay Nirupam offers to resign

Nirupam said he sent the resignation letter to the party leadership in Delhi on Wednesday evening, a day before the results of the civic body election

Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam has offered to resign from the post, accepting the responsibility for the setback party in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation election. The party is unlikely to win even half of its existing tally of 52 seats.

Nirupam said he sent the resignation letter to the party leadership in Delhi on Wednesday evening, a day before the results of the civic body election. (Vijayanand Gupta/HT PHOTO)

Nirupam said he sent the resignation letter to the party leadership in Delhi on Wednesday evening, a day before the results of the civic body election.

He also demanded action be taken against party leaders who worked against the interest of the party. Nirupam said if action was not taken in time, it will lead to the huge loss to the party in the future.

Although Nirupam did not name anybody, he pointed at senior party leader and former union minister Gurudas Kamat, who had questioned former’s leadership days ahead of the elections.

Kamat had announced to withdraw from the election process and later participated in campaign in only a few wards where his supporters were contesting the election.

He also had said it was not possible for him to actively participate due to the ‘negative approach’ of the city unit chief.

“I tried my level best to win maximum seats for the party, but a few leaders were active with the intention of defeating me. This has badly reflected on the prospect of the party. The leaders preferred media platform to put up their grievances instead of expressing them on the right platform within the party. It is high time action was taken against such a leader to restrict the further damage to the party,” Nirupam said, during his press conference at his residence in Andheri.

Congress leader Bhai Jagtap, whose name could be considered for the post, said that no official decision has been taken by the party on the resignation offered by Nirupam as yet.

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