Parties fear it will affect polls prospects even as Dy CM says Cong leader has lost his mental balance.
The Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) alliance for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls appears to be overpowered by personality clashes between deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and industries minister Narayan Rane.
While Rane pledged to play spoilsport for the NCP in the Mumbai civic elections, Pawar indicated that he was ready for confrontation.
“All I can say is that Rane has lost his mental balance,” he said.
Pawar’s statement has not gone down well with the Rane camp, which is now readying to take on the NCP outside the Konkan region.
Rane said: “I have always tried to maintain a cordial relation with Pawar. But he has engaged in dirty politics on my home turf, which cannot be tolerated in silence. Now, it is my turn to give the NCP a befitting reply by taking the battle to Pune, Sangli and Satara (Western Maharashtra).”
It is evident that Rane feels betrayed by the NCP, which has succeeded in winning over some of his loyalists. As an act of reprisal, Rane has pledged to undermine Pawar’s political hold in western Maharashtra by joining hands with Pawar’s enemies across party lines.
This face-off between the two has created a furore in their respective parties, and the top leaders fear it could adversely affect the electoral fortunes of the alliance in the BMC.
A senior leader of the Mumbai Regional Congress Committee, on condition of anonymity, said: “The Shiv Sena and BJP, which were on the back foot, are definitely going to take advantage of the sharp differences between the Congress and NCP. When two top leaders are publicly fighting, it sends out wrong signals within the party. It also influences the voters negatively against the ruling combine.”
The Congress, confronted with the huge challenge of 35 rebels contesting against their official candidates, is afraid the NCP will exploit them to their advantage.
On the other hand, NCP leaders reckon that Rane will seek help from all local players to work against official NCP candidates in Mumbai.
A Congress member admitted, “This development does not auger well for the zilla parishad and municipal body elections. Senior cabinet ministers and leaders in their respective districts have consolidated with Rane, making opposing Pawar a common agenda. Instead of fighting the opposition, we will see a pitched battle between the Congress and NCP in several local body elections across Maharashtra.”
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