With Rahul Gandhi’s nod, Congress to go solo in BMC elections

Nana Patole and Rahul Gandhi

Barely a week after the rank and file of the Maharashtra and Mumbai Congress expressed a strong determination to fight the upcoming local self-government elections solo, the party's vice-president Rahul Gandhi has given a go-ahead to the decision and accepted an invitation to visit the state to conduct rallies.

Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Nana Patole and party's Maharashtra in-charge national general secretary HK Patil met Gandhi in New Delhi on Tuesday. Various organisational and political issues were discussed in the 90-minute deliberation, said Patole after the meeting.

To the chagrin of the post-poll MVA alliance partners, Patole had maintained that the Congress would contest these polls independent of the MVA allies. On Tuesday, he confirmed the decision in consultation with Gandhi.

"Since three years are left until the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, the Congress high command will decide about the same and announce it at an appropriate time," stated Patole.

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"The Congress will contest the local body polls independent of other parties. This includes Mumbai and all other corporations," the MPCC chief added. The elections are scheduled next year and considered a mini Assembly election because 22 civic bodies including Mumbai and Thane, 24 zilla parishads and 144 municipal councils will be seen in action.

When asked about the difficulties the decision might pose to the MVA government, he said the government would run for a full five-year term. "A party organisation and the government are two different things. Every party has a right to expand and become stronger. Our MVA partners also feel the same way," he added.