Irked with internal factionalism in Maharashtra Congress, party president Sonia Gandhi is avoiding meeting state leaders camping in Delhi.
NEW DELHI: Irked with internal factionalism in Maharashtra Congress, party president Sonia Gandhi is avoiding meeting state leaders camping in Delhi. Former MPCC president Ranjit Deshmukh, who arrived here with about 160 supporters, to complain against state party chief Prabha Rau's arbitrary appointments in district committees, has been cooling his heels in Maharashtra Sadan since Friday.
The immediate provocation is the appointment of Sunita Gawande as president of Nagpur (rural) Congress committee. Gawande was expelled from the party for six years for rebellion and reinstated after six months. Deshmukh told DNA that her appointment amounted to the "promotion of rebellion. Rebels are rewarded. If this is accepted, how can you ensure discipline in the party? There are a number of capable people in the district."
Contrary to expectations, chief minister Vilas Rao Deshmukh who was in Delhi also did not meet Gandhi. He, however, had talks with her political secretary Ahmed Patel.
Sources said the high command is not happy with Rau and state-incharge Maragret Alva either. Sources said Rau- Alva duo "misled" the high command about Sunita Gawande's locus standi and appointment. Ranjit Deshmukh said he could not meet Gandhi as she was away in Bihar for campaigning on Friday and fell sick after her return. He, however, met a host of senior party leaders - Ahmed Patel, Ambika Soni, Motilal Vohra, Oscar Fernandes, Mukul Wasnik and Janardhan Dwivedi.
Sources said Ahmed Patel told Deshmukh to meet Oscar Fernandes and sort out the matter. Fernandes is understood to have told Deshmukh to wait for the return of Margaret Alva tonight or tomorrow from Karnataka to discuss the issue.
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