INTERNAL RIFT IN MAHARASHTRA CONGRESS AFTER VARSHA GAIKWAD FIELDED FROM KEY SEAT
The nomination of Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad from the Mumbai North Central seat seems to have caused an internal rift in the party. Minister Arif Naseem Khan claimed that he was promised the seat and is openly opposing Varsha Gaikwad's candidature from there.
After Varsha was named as the Lok Sabha candidate, Khan resigned as a star campaigner of the Congress. He also alleged that no Muslim leader was fielded in the state by the Mahavikas Aghadi and wrote a letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge highlighting the issue.
In his letter to Kharge, Naseem Khan said, "Congress ko Muslim vote chahiye, candidate kyu nahi (Congress wants Muslim votes but why not field Muslim candidates)?"
Khan took part in a meeting at MCA in Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai, along with Congress Rajya Sabha MP Chandrakant Handore, MLC Bhai Jagtap and Suresh Shetty. Notably, Varsha Gaikwad was absent from the meeting.
Handore said after the meeting that he tried to convince Khan that "each seat is important in a fight to save the constitution. Being the only MP from the Dalit community, the party has given me the responsibility. There is a conspiracy to change the constitution written by Babasaheb Ambedkar. Ticket has been given to Varsha Gaikwad from this constituency. Naseem Khan feels that he is a contender for this seat. But the High Command has made a decision. We tried to convince Khan. We are hopeful that Khan will understand and cooperate."
"I was defeated in the Assembly elections, but I was patient and later, the party gave me an opportunity in the Rajya Sabha. The high command will entrust him with major responsibility. They will communicate with Khan and bring him back as a star campaigner. We will all work to with this seat," he added.
According to the data, Mumbai North Central constituency has 16,81,400 voters.
The constituency consists of six assembly segments, which include Vile Parle, Chandivali, Kurla, Kalina Bandra (East) and Bandra (West). Khan was the former MLA of Chandivali.
Meanwhile, the BJP has fielded senior lawyer and 26/11 prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam against Gaikwad from Mumbai North Central.
2024-04-29T17:05:25Z dg43tfdfdgfd