Gurudas Kamat finally done with Congress?

Gurudas Kamat

Ten months after he withdrew his resignation from the party, Congress general secretary Gurudas Kamat quit all his positions in the party organisation yesterday, apparently because he was replaced as in-charge of party affairs in Gujarat and some leaders from rival groups in Maharashtra were appointed to assist the new chief of Gujarat affairs, Ashok Gehlot.

But this time, the former MP has not quit the party's primary membership.

Apart from Gujarat, Kamat also headed party affairs in Rajasthan, which will have its assembly polls next year.

Much disgruntlement
Sources in the Congress said party president Sonia Gandhi hasn't accepted Kamat's resignation from the positions. Last year, he was persuaded to stay back when he had quit following his disagreement with Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam. Later, Kamat had kept himself away from BMC polls but continued to express his displeasure over Nirupam's decisions through letters to the party high command and statements in social media.

Kamat has repeatedly asked the party high command to relieve him, but what came as a shocker to his camp was the appointment of Maharashtra MP Rajiv Satav (Rahul's trusted man), MLA and ex-minister Varsha Gaikwad (who belongs to the anti-Kamat group headed by her father Eknath Gaikwad), Harshvardhan Sapkal (also from Maharashtra) and Jeetu Patwari as secretaries. The four will assist Gehlot in Gujarat, said Dr Ajoy Kumar, Congress spokesperson.

What next?
"Resigning at the drop of a hat is his habit. We are not sure how the party high command will take his move this time. Either he will be ignored or rehabilitated," said a leader.

Kamat said he was relieved because of his repeated requests. "I met Rahul Gandhi last Wednesday and asked him to relieve me of all responsibilities."