Candidate delay hits Congress rallies in Pune

Senior leaders write letters of intent to birthday party prime command, soliciting for early announcement to steer clear of repeat of 2014 fiasco

The delay in announcing its candidate from Pune turns out to have hit the Congress marketing campaign not easy, with lower than a month clear of the election day even as native leaders met allies like the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Wednesday to formulate a method.

On Tuesday, many Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staff and leaders attended the maiden rally of the birthday party candidate, Girish Bapat, however their Congress counterparts are still thinking who to undertaking on level at present.

Many Congress leaders, together with Arvind Shinde, Mohan Joshi and Abhay Chhajed, had jumped into the fray and expressed their passion in contesting from Pune, a standard birthday party stronghold, a lot sooner than the election dates were announced. Eventually, two extra names were added to the record — BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Kakade and social activist Pravin Gaikwad. While Kakade chose to withdraw after his assembly with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Gaikwad’s identify met with a digital opposition from the Congress loyalists.

Die-hard Congress supporters, however, don’t need to witness a repeat of the 2014 fiasco when simply days sooner than the nomination was to be filed, the prime command fielded Vishwajeet Kadam, who eventually misplaced the ballot combat to Anil Shirole by over three,15,000 votes. Kadam is now an MLA from Palus-Kadegaon after his father Patangrao Kadam’s death remaining 12 months.

Party leaders, in Wednesday’s assembly too, expressed fear over the delay in announcement. Some insiders, however, hinted that the Congress leaders are afraid to tackle a heavyweight chief like Bapat, who has been the district guardian minister for almost five years.

Allaying such fears of birthday party staff and pushing for candidature, senior leaders like Shinde, who is claimed to have withdrawn from the race, wrote letters to the prime command expressing their willingness to contest. Claiming that those talks of withdrawal were being unfold by his warring parties, Shinde stated, “I am looking forward to the birthday party to make a formal announcement. Even if I don’t get the candidature, we're prepared to contest and I will paintings for whoever the candidate is.”

Social activist Gaikwad, however opposition within the birthday party, stated, “I have knowledgeable the leaders that I am willing to contest. Even if I don’t get nominated, I will sign up for Congress soon. This is a fight towards an ideology and what they are doing to us. Hence, it is important to field a strong candidate in opposition.”

Congress chief Aba alias Ulhas Bagul from the city has long gone a step forward and has written a letter to birthday party leaders, mentioning that if no one can also be discovered suitable, he would contest. He stated, “It is unfortunate that the birthday party leadership is struggling and is in search of a candidate outdoor the birthday party. Since I am accustomed to the city, I have written a letter, mentioning that I am ready to contest even on this condition.”

Speaking to Mirror, Ramesh Bagwe, city president of Congress, stated the candidature would be announced soon and that they have got already begun making ready for the polls. “I am anticipating that the candidature will likely be announced in an afternoon or two. However, we're prepared for the marketing campaign and our groundwork has begun too. The delay won’t hamper our marketing campaign in anyway.”