The working president of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), Jaywantrao Awale, and former MLA Prakash Awade are at daggers drawn over two Zilla Parishad (ZP) constituencies.
Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan held a rally on January 28 for the ZP polls scheduled for February 7. Congress leaders, including Awale and Awade, had shared the dais with the CM during the rally.
Chavan, who had appealed for unity among party workers at the rally, had later tried to sort out the differences between Awale and Awade by ordering to field candidates with elective merit. Awale has won five consecutive assembly elections from Hatkanangale in Kolhapur, his home district.
A four-time MLA from Ichalkaranji and former state textile minister, Awade is the arch rival of Awale.
Hatkanangale taluka has a total of 11 ZP constituencies of which eight are in Hatkanangale assembly constituency and three are in Ichalkaranji assembly constituency.
Hupari and Rendall ZP constituencies in Hatkanangale have become the bone of contention between these two leaders, as they are seeking tickets for their supporters from these two constituencies.
Interestingly, both Awade and Awale had fielded their candidates with A and B forms of the Congress in Hupari and Rendall.
While Awade’s supporter was the first to submit the form in Hupari, Awale’s candidate filed his nominations in Rendall. Now, none of the two camps are willing to withdraw their nominations.
Meanwhile, Awale told reporters that Awade was using pressure tactics, and the issue will be raised before the high command.
On the other hand, Awade told the media that Awale was seeking party tickets for his relatives and rebels of other parties.
He also said that he need not take lessons in loyalty from Awale.
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