Nagpur, Aug 20: Close on the heels of senior Congress leaders N K P Salve and Vasant Sathe quitting the party to form `Vidarbha Congress', three former ministers and two ex-MLCs today parted ways with the Congress to join the newly-formed outfit for promoting the cause of a separate Vidarbha. Those who joined `Vidarbha Congress' include former ministers T G Deshmukh, Vinod Gudadhe Patil and Haribhau Naik and former MLCs Dr Madhukar Wasnik and Krishnarao Pandav.

Announcing their resignations, former MP Banwarilal Purohit, who had quit the Congress on Sunday last along with Salve and Sathe, said the papers would be sent to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and a copy to MPCC chief Ranjeet Deshmukh. These resignations came after a section of press reported that the leaders were not quitting the party despite their agreeing to quit on August 17.

Though all the five were present at a meeting at Salve's residence on Sunday last, they did not put in their papers on that day.

Bureau Report