Kamat withdraws from the selection of candidates’ process due to difference of opinion with Sanjay Nirupam.
The tussle between AICC General Secretary Gurudas Kamat and MRCC chief Sanjay Nirupam has once again surfaced ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls. Kamat has expressed his displeasure over the functioning of Nirupam and said that selection of candidates was undertaken by the latter without taking him and other party leaders into confidence. Kamat has informed supporters that he has withdrawn from poll campaigning and selection of candidates due to Nirupam’s negative attitude. Thus, infighting within the Congress party has led to the emergence of Nirupam and Kamat groups.
In a message to his supporters, Kamat said, “All applicants for Mumbai Municipal Corporation tickets are requested to contact their local MLA candidates and district Congress president to get party nomination as I have withdrawn from their entire exercise of selection of candidates and campaign due to negative attitude of Sanjay Nirupam.”
A meeting was held by the Mumbai Congress unit to discuss about the selection of candidates for the BMC election. Kamat had skipped this meeting due to difference of opinion with Nirupam. The meeting was attended by Sanjay Nirupam, Priya Dutt, Milind Deora, Eknath Gaikwad, Naseem Khan, Amin Patel and Aslam Shaikh.
Sanjay Nirupam said, “This issue is the internal matter of the Congress party. I will have a dialogue with Kamat after the conclusion of BMC polls.”
Nirupam refused to speak further about his differences with Kamat issue and said, “We have our work cut out. Right now our main objective is to give a tough fight to Shiv Sena and BJP in the BMC election. Other issues can be resolved later.”
As per Rahul Gandhi’s instructions a methodology has been followed to select candidates for the civic body polls. Kamat too had agreed with the formula suggested by Rahul and had signed the document.
“All leaders have signed the document which was handed over to Rahul Gandhi. Candidates will be selected as per the given procedure,” he said.
“Kamat was disappointed after he was sidelined by senior party leaders. He also wanted to play a major role in managing the party affairs. However, he is disappointed with Nirupam’s elevation as MRCC chief. He also was expecting a Rajya Sabha berth but the party has chosen P Chidambaram,” said a source from Congress party on the condition of anonymity.
Earlier there were reports that Gurudas Kamat, was miffed with the party and he had even threatened senior Congress leaders to quit.
