Congress will lose in Maharashtra, Haryana; many top leaders need to be shown door: Sanjay Nirupam

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New Delhi: Continuing his attack on Congress, disgruntled leader Sanjay Nirupam on Friday said that party's defeat is certain in upcoming assembly election in Maharashtra and Haryana as 'tickets have been distributed haphazardly'. 

Speaking exclusively to Zee News, Nirupam, without naming anyone, said that party cannot benefit until leaders like former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda, Mallikarjun Kharge, Jyotiraditya Scindia and other AICC leaders are shown the door. 

Nirupam, a former Mumbai Congress president, is miffed with Congress after the party refused to allot ticket to a candidate backed by him and announced that he won't campaign for the party in the assembly election. He said that the leadership was sidelining him and his recommendations were not considered, even though he had served as Mumbai unit president for four years.

He added that the grand old party must induct former Congress Haryana Chief Ashok into the party for its interest.

He alleged that the Congress in Haryana had turned into 'Hooda Congress' as those who worked against the party's interests in the last five years are given prominence over those who slogged to strengthen the opposition party in Haryana. 

Nirupam also alleged that around 20 promising candidates were denied ticket by the Congress high command and predicted that they would lose badly in the upcoming election. "Sonia (Gandhi) is given the wrong information by some lobby of sycophants. I have spoken to top leaders about my apprehension but despite that nothing has been done and I see no point in doing it again," Nirupam said.

Nirupam's open revolt against the Congress top brass is likely to further boost the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance in Maharashtra, who looks confident of winning the assembly election with a thumping majority. 

The polling is scheduled to take place on October 21 and the results will be declared on October 24.   

He alleged that the Congress in Haryana had turned into 'Hooda Congress' as those who worked against the party's interests in the last five years are given prominence over those who slogged to strengthen the opposition party in Haryana.