Former city unit head and state Home minister Kripashankar Singh left after over three decades in the party; and actor Urmila Matondkar quit, after a mere five months of joining politics, citing anathema to infighting.
Tuesday saw two high-profile departures from the Mumbai unit of the Congress — former city unit head and state Home minister Kripashankar Singh left after over three decades in the party; and actor Urmila Matondkar quit, after a mere five months of joining politics, citing anathema to infighting.
Kripashankar was a humble potato vendor on Mumbai's streets until a chance meeting with former prime minister Indira Gandhi changed the course of his life. His loyalty ensured his ascendance in the party, but he cited Congress' handling of the situation and comments after the abrogation of Article 370, as his reason for leaving the party.
His recent public bonhomie with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray gave rise to speculation that he may defect to the Bharatiya Janata Party. The Economic Offences Wing had recently interrogated him in connection with a disproportionate assets case, however, he has discharged allegedly for want of sanction from the government to prosecute him.
Barely five months after she sang paeans of her belief in the Congress ideology and what the party stands for, Matondkar handed in her resignation letter. In a scathing missive, the party's North Mumbai candidate for the Lok Sabha polls said she did not wish to be used for "petty in-house politics" while underscoring the deep factionalism within the party.
"(The) First thought of resignation came to me when after my repeated efforts, no action was taken in pursuance of my letter dated 16th May, addressed to then Mumbai Congress President Mr Milind Deora.
"Thereafter, to my utter dismay, the said letter, containing privileged and confidential communication, was conveniently leaked to the media which according to me was an act of blatant betrayal. Needless to say, no one from the party was apologetic or even concerned towards me for the same despite my repeated protests," she wrote in her letter.
The revelation has once again brought to fore intra-party rivalry. Notwithstanding the debacle in the General Elections when Congress lost all five of the six seats in Mumbai, the party continues to be in total disarray and clueless on how to take on the BJP even as the Assembly election looms closer.
As news of her resignation broke, reactions from senior city leadership indicated how deeply the party is fractioned. Former city president Milind Deora held Mumbai North leaders accountable for Urmila's departure and exposed a vertical and literal North-South divide in the city unit.
"After Urmila decided to fight elections from Mumbai North," read his tweet, "I supported her campaign wholeheartedly as the Mumbai President. I stood by her when she was let down by those who brought her into the party. Fully agree that Mumbai North leaders MUST be held accountable!"
Former city chief Sanjay Nirupam called Urmila's exit unfortunate, but the acknowledgement may have come too late. "She was ideologically committed to the party, was an asset and an aggressive leader," he said. "Infighting is a part of any political organization. One shouldn't succumb to that bit, rather fight against it. I will urge her to reconsider her decision. The party should investigate why her letter was leaked to the media."
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