The friction resulted from the demand of loyalists (anti-Kalmadi faction) seeking time to be heard by the party high command which was opposed by pro-Kalmadi elements.
Concerned over the factional discord between pro and anti-Suresh Kalamdi elements within the city Congress and its potential to damage the party prospects in the upcoming civic elections in Pune, party bosses initiated a reconciliatory process to bring the warring groups together at a meeting held here.
The venue for the meeting called by MPCC president Manikrao Thakre and AICC general secretary in charge of Maharashtra Mohan Prakash last evening was held in a hotel on Pune-Satara road where about 25 prominent party workers including Abhay Chhajed, Pune city Congress president and a strong
supporter of the suspended MP, former Maharashtra minister Balasaheb Shivarkar, Ulhas Pawar and Mohan Joshi, both MLCs, belonging to anti--Kalmadi faction were present.
Despite the efforts by both Thakre and Prakash to impress upon the group leaders the need to work together in the absence of Kalmadi to prepare for civic elections, the meeting saw heated exchanges between the supporters and detractors of Kalmadi, who is facing charges of corruption in the
Commonwealth Games scam, party sources said.
The friction resulted from the demand of "loyalists" (anti-Kalmadi faction) seeking time to be heard by the party high command which was opposed by pro-Kalmadi elements, sources said.
Thakre and Prakash had to intervene to pacify the participants when one of the anti-Kalmadi leaders wanted to leave the meeting, they added.
An anti-Kalmadi faction leader said the "loyalists" were "humiliated" at the meeting. The city unit head Chhajed, however, denied surfacing of serious differences at the deliberations and maintained that all party workers had responded positively to the appeal by Thakre and Prakash.
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