As Kamat remained unavailable for comments, his supporters informed that whenever he resigns, he does not meet any body or take phone calls for at least three-four days. The senior leader's resignation has come as a major setback for the Congress just ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.
Former Union minister and senior Congress leader Gurudas Kamat, who resigned from the party and announced his retirement from politics on Monday, was reportedly miffed at the party's central leadership. Kamat, the secretary of All-India Congress Committee (AICC) and in-charge of Congress unit in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, was apparently expecting a Rajya Sabha seat and a major 'say' in important affairs as a reward for reviving Congress' fortune in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
As Kamat remained unavailable for comments, his supporters informed that whenever he resigns, he does not meet any body or take phone calls for at least three-four days. The senior leader's resignation has come as a major setback for the Congress just ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.
"We are also trying to reach him, but he is unavailable. A major reshuffle is happening at the AICC level, so many general secretaries are also resigning," Ashok Chavan, president of Maharashtra Congress Pradesh Committee, said.
Meanwhile sources in the Congress said Kamat was instrumental in the party's win in Gujarat's local body elections. "Congress was completely decimated in Gujarat. It was not in power for the last 15 years. But Kamat worked hard and built the network. He gave confidence to people that Congress can come back to power. The party performed well in Rajasthan also. So, he was expecting his nomination for Rajya Sabha. But the party chose P Chidambaram from Maharashtra. That is why Kamat is upset with the party leadership," said a source close to him.
Another source in the Congress said Kamat wanted to replace Mumbai Congress unit president Sanjay Nirupam, for his "anti-Congress and anti-Nehru" remarks. "But Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi decided to forgive Nirupam," he added.
Kamat was close to Rajiv Gandhi and subsequently Congress president Sonia Gandhi. He has, however, been left out of the Rahul Gandhi camp. "In the reshuffle, Rahul Gandhi is likely to be declared the president of the Congress party. So, Kamat may not get the desired position. So, he may be using pressure tactics to retain importance in AICC," said an observer.
This is not the first time that Kamat has resigned. "He never worked for a post or designation. As nothing was happening as per his wish, he preferred to exit instead of creating a ruckus. This is the fourth time he has resigned.
He resigned as All India Youth Congress president in 1988, as Mumbai Congress president in 2008 and as Union minister in 2011. He never left the party or went against it. He is a Congress man. Things will become clearer in the next couple of days," a Kamat supporter said.
Meanwhile to express solidarity with Kamat, Mumbai Congress party workers and leaders assembled at their party office in Azad Maidan on Tuesday, and urged Kamat to return to active politics.
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