Mumbai/Osmanabad: Reacting sharply to open
criticism of its election strategy, Congress on Wednesday announced
suspension of Ajit Sawant, general secretary of the party`s
Mumbai unit observing that the opposition was "using" him to
settle scores with the party.
"Opposition is using Sawant. He has levelled baseless
allegations against the party so we are suspending him from
Congress and will serve him a notice today," Maharashtra
Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Manikrao Thakre
said while addressing a public rally here in run-up to the
Zilla Parishad polls.
Though Thakre did not name any particular party his
reference was obvious.
"Sawant was also present on the dais of a RSS rally
earlier and we had also issued him a notice then. He has been
intentionally working against Congress so we are suspending
him," Thakre said.
On Monday, Sawant wrote a strongly worded letter to
Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, accusing "certain leaders"
of misleading the CM and questioning the electoral preparation
and strategy of the party.
Sawant raised questions on offering "winnable" seats
to the ally NCP and even raised a finger on the process of
selection of candidates. He also aired his discontent in the
media.
Meanwhile, reacting to the diatribe launched by senior
Congress minister Narayan Rane against deputy Chief Minister
and NCP leader Ajit Pawar, Thakre said, "whatever Rane said
was in his personal capacity and was not the official position
of Congress".
Addressing a rally in Kudal in coastal region of the
state yesterday, the Industries Minister had dubbed Ajit Pawar
as a "faulty tape-recorder".
"I am not bothered about Ajit Pawar`s threats. NCP
ministers are embroiled in cases of murder and scams and that
is why there is a rush outside their cabins," he had alleged.
Rane`s close aide Shankar Kambli defected to the NCP
yesterday owing to differences with him over his style of
functioning.
PTI
