Amid internal discord within the Congress after the Chandrapur Municipal Corporation elections, Vijay Wadettiwar, the Congress Legislative Party leader in the Maharashtra Assembly, expressed optimism that the crisis would soon be resolved, ensuring the party’s mayoral victory. Responding to criticism from party MP Pratibha Dhanorkar regarding ticket distribution, Wadettiwar addressed the controversy, highlighting the denial of tickets to corporators who had supported Shivani Wadettiwar’s Lok Sabha candidature.
Wadettiwar emphasized the importance of party workers, stating that holding positions as an MP or MLA does not equate to owning the party. He urged for a focus on engaging with elected corporators rather than solely senior leaders during a high-level meeting in Nagpur with state Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal and party secretaries. The leader stressed that decisions regarding the mayor and group leader should reflect the views of grassroots representatives.
Tensions within the Chandrapur district unit have escalated, leading to a public clash between Wadettiwar and Dhanorkar over leadership selection and organizational control. The rift deepened as discussions on appointing key office-bearers intensified, with both leaders advocating for their supporters in influential roles. The fractured mandate in the civic body, where Congress won 27 of the 66 seats and BJP secured 23, has set the stage for challenging negotiations to form the civic administration.
Wadettiwar also commented on the Supreme Court hearing concerning OBC reservation, cautioning that the reservation was in a precarious state. He warned that any reduction or compromise in OBC reservation would be attributed to the BJP.
