Congress leader Rahul Gandhi started campaigning for the Maharashtra assembly elections from Sangli today. During this, Congress wanted to show its strength, but Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray did not attend it. His absence from this program is being linked to the tussle over the CM candidate in the alliance. At the same time, Rahul Gandhi addressed a public meeting in Sangli and also unveiled the life-size statue of Maharashtra’s late minister Patangrao Kadam. Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, is on a day-long visit to Maharashtra. Earlier in the day, Gandhi also met the family members of late MP Vasant Chavan in Nanded.
Later, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi came to Sangli, where he unveiled a life-size statue of Patangrao Kadam in Wangi. Gandhi also visited a museum dedicated to the late leader. He later addressed a public meeting in Sangli. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, its state unit chief Jayant Patil and senior Congress leaders from the state were present on the occasion.
However, Uddhav Thackeray was not present in the public meeting. The important thing is that apart from Uddhav Thackeray, no other leader of his party was present. Last week, Kadam’s son and MLA Vishwajit Kadam had said that Thackeray has not confirmed his participation due to his pre-scheduled programs. In Maharashtra, Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP) and Congress are part of the opposition alliance Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
Thackeray’s absence from the public meeting is also considered important because the Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate was defeated by Congress rebel Vishal Patil in the Lok Sabha elections from Sangli constituency. Thackeray is insisting that the MVA’s chief ministerial candidate be announced before the assembly elections, but Sharad Pawar and the Congress are not unanimous on this.
Pawar had said on Wednesday that the decision on who will be the Chief Minister can be taken after the election results are out. He had said that the Chief Ministerial candidate from the MVA will be decided on the basis of which party wins the most assembly seats. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray, however, has said that there is no tussle on the issue of the Chief Minister’s post.