Nagpur: Congress faces one of its toughest political tests in Vidarbha ahead of the Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC) elections for the local body constituencies on Thursday, with intense factionalism and weak coordination within the Maha Vikas Aghadi threatening to derail the party's prospects across several constituencies.
Nagpur Candidate Struggles for Unity
In Nagpur, Congress candidate Atul Londhe, the party's Maharashtra chief spokesperson, has struggled to secure united support from local functionaries. The absence of corporators linked to a rival faction during Londhe's nomination filing triggered speculation of internal sabotage and highlighted deep divisions within the district unit.
Factional Rivalries Spread Across Vidarbha
Similar factional rivalries have surfaced in Chandrapur, Wardha and Gadchiroli constituency, where camps led by Chandrapur MP Pratibha Dhanorkar and Congress Legislative Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar are locked in a battle for political dominance. The tensions have intensified after disputes over local leadership and organisational control.
Setbacks and Uncontested Victories
The Congress suffered a major setback in the Wardha-Chandrapur-Gadchiroli constituency after its candidate withdrew from the contest, allowing BJP candidate Arun Lakhani to secure an uncontested victory. In Yavatmal too, Shiv Sena candidate Dushyant Chaturvedi was elected unopposed after Opposition parties failed to maintain a united front.
Internal Accusations and Mistrust
In Amravati, senior Congress leader Yashomati Thakur publicly accused sections within her own party of encouraging "horse-trading" during the elections, exposing mistrust among party leaders. Political friction has also intensified in Yavatmal and other Vidarbha districts where local factions are openly competing for influence.
Congress Alleges BJP Pressure
Congress leaders have accused the ruling Mahayuti alliance of using financial inducements and political pressure to engineer candidate withdrawals. Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal alleged that the BJP was attempting to weaken democracy by forcing Opposition candidates out of contests.
BJP Blames Congress's Poor Organisation
Meanwhile, BJP functionaries have dismissed the allegations and blamed Congress's poor organisational structure for its troubles. Revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule claimed that even Congress corporators were unwilling to support their own candidates in some constituencies.
Broader Leadership Crisis
Political observers believe the local body constituency MLC elections have exposed a broader leadership crisis within Congress in Vidarbha, where competing regional factions continue to undermine party unity at a crucial political moment ahead of local body elections later this year.
