None of the party leaders have come forward to ask Kamat for reconsidering his decision.
Former Union Minister and Congress leader from Mumbai Gurudas Kamat has the tendency to blackmail high command by tendering his resignation. However, Kamat’s decision to step down from party has backfired as none of the party leaders came forward to ask him to reconsider his decision. Thus Kamat finds himself isolated at a time when Congress party is heading for overhaul after its dismal performance in the assembly polls. Kamat was unhappy with the functioning of the senior leaders as he was being sidelined by the party. By announcing his decision to resign Kamat was trying to impose pressure on the Congress party so that he can have better say in running the party affairs ahead of BMC election to be held in 2017.
One of the former Chief Minister of Maharashtra said, “This is not the first time Kamat’s resignation stunt has flopped as neither the INTUC, NSUI or MRCC asked him to reconsider his decision. Most of them didn’t him try to pacify him to rethink his decision to quit the party.”
Another Congress leader spoke to AV on the condition of anonymity and said, “Ego has resulted into the downfall of Gurudas Kamat. The young state leaders of Congress party have already sidelined Kamat since he had lobbied against some state leaders as they were shown the door from the party. If Rahul Gandhi becomes the president of Congress then he is likely to give more preference to youth leaders. This may have prompted Kamat to resign from the party.”
“Kamat was upset with Sanjay Nirupam’s elevation as Mumbai Congress Chief as internal strife was hurting the party’s growth in the city. Often there were reports about clashes between Kamat camp and Nirupam camp. Even Nirupam’s close proximity to Rahul Gandhi had hurt Kamat. Kamat had also distanced himself from Rahul’s recent trip to Deonar dumping ground. He was eyeing the Rajya Sabha seat but Congress party nominated P. Chidambaram from Maharashtra,” said another leader.
“I will continue to be available for people minus the party tag for whatever help or issues to be taken up with different agencies from this weekend,” Kamat stated in a text message sent out the media and his followers on Tuesday morning. “I would also like to emphasise that I have the highest respect and regard for Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi and my resignation is purely on personal grounds.”
Kamat is a member of the Congress Working Committee and a general secretary of the All India Congress Committee. He was in-charge of party affairs of Rajasthan, where Congress lost the assembly elections badly in 2013.
