In a midnight meeting at the Lalit Hotel in Andheri, Congress candidates huddled together and expressed discontent at the tickets given to contenders. They also alleged that senior Congress leaders have joined hands with Shiv Sena to weaken the party
The BMC elections are slated in less than 20 days, but the Congress’ internal troubles show no signs of abating. In a midnight meeting at the Lalit Hotel in Andheri, Congress candidates huddled together and expressed discontent at the tickets given to contenders. They also alleged that senior Congress leaders have joined hands with Shiv Sena to weaken the party.
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Several senior Congress leaders like Mohammed Arif Khan, vice-president of MPCC, Sanjay Nirupam, President of the MRCC and Priya Dutt were part of the meeting, called after a first list of 115 names was announced by the party.
Dr Pushpa Ahirwar, VP of Mumbai Mahila Congress and former chairperson of BMC Public Health Committee, said, “The leaders are making the wrong choices. Certain leaders have certainly tied up with Shiv Sena to defeat the Congress. By choosing the right candidates, they can win the election, but inexperienced candidates, who no one knows, are being chosen.”
Hundreds of Congress supporters meanwhile, gathered to determine if they were getting tickets. They complained that there was a lack of communication between the leaders and workers. “Despite having a party office, the leaders decided to meet at a hotel where we aren’t even allowed inside. Is this the way the leaders treat their soldiers?” said Dr Sushmita Vatkar, a Congress member.
Meanwhile, rumours on social media groups suggested that the party high command in Delhi had stepped in and stayed the first list, but Mumbai president Sanjay Nirupam tweeted that the message being circulated was a false one.