Vikhe-Patil removed from Opposition leader's office

Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil

Days after frustrated Opposition leader in the Assembly, Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil resigned from the post, the Congress high command has accepted his resignation. Vikhe-Patil quit the post after his son Sujay was denied a Lok Sabha ticket from Ahmednagar. Subsequently, he switched to the BJP in March and is contesting the polls as the ruling party candidate against an NCP candidate.

"Vikhe Patil offered to resign from the post and had also sent a letter to the Congress president. The letter has been accepted by him," said State Congress president Ashok Chavan.

Vikhe-Patil stayed away from the Congress party's campaign, but canvassed openly for his son. He was seen at local BJP offices and shared the dais with the ruling party leaders while seeking votes for his son. Congress leaders have demanded his sacking for anti-party activities, but the disciplinary action is still awaited.

Sources said the party has begun the process by accepting his resignation from the coveted post.

Vikhe-Patil hasn't quit the party and the MLA seat as yet. He is waiting to be sacked so that he can decide - he will probably join the BJP.

The Congress president will be in Ahmednagar on Friday. It will be interesting to see if Vikhe-Patil attends the rally in which Gandhi will seek votes against the veteran leader's neurologist son. Last week, the Congress suspended a legislator and former minister, Abdul Sattar, for anti-party activities in Aurangabad.

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