Thakre, Mulak resign from Cong posts

Staff Reporter

Vikas Thakre and Rajendra Mulak have resigned from their posts - Nagpur City Congress President and Nagpur District (Rural) Congress Committee President respectively. In its Udaipur ‘Sankalp Shibir’, Congress resolved that the party leaders, who have completed five years on their respective posts in the party should resign. Accordingly, Mulak and Thakre, who were holding their respective posts for over five years, tendered resignations and forwarded to Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee President, Nana Patole.

While talking to ‘The Hitavada’, both Thakre and Mulak confirmed to have resigned form the post of Nagpur City Congress President and Nagpur District (Rural) Congress Committee President, respectively, but refused to talk further on the issue.

A senior Congress leader said, all the district and city Presidents across country have sent their resignations to their respective State Presidents, immediately after the ‘Sankalp Shibir’. He also said, the Udaipur Convention moved a resolution according to which one leader should relinquish one post if he or she is holding more than one post. If the said parameter is to be taken into account then it was not applicable in the case of Mulak, who is holding only one post.

Later, by the evening, it was cleared that Congress High Command had asked the party office-bearers completing five years to put in their papers.

‘The Hitavada’ tried to contact Nana Patole, MPCC President, but his phone was switched off.

A Congress leader from Mumbai said, “The resolution that was passed in Udaipur made it clear that resignations

of those party office-bearers in whose area any polls are round the corner, will not be accepted. The final decision about such people will be taken later on. The resolution also clarified, the Party High Command will review the tenures of Presidents. If it finds the tenures successful, then such office-bearers will be asked to continue.”

Nagpur city will be facing civic polls in a couple of next months. Considering this development, it is likely that MPCC would not accept resignation of Thakre.

At this juncture Congress does not have any immediate candidate as a replacement to Vikas Thakre.

Thakre has long experience of working with Nagpur Municipal Corporation. He is now MLA from West Nagpur, but till four years ago, Thakre was mostly conducting NMC-related activities. Considering his deep experience, Congress may not accept his resignation and would ask him to continue to lead the party in upcoming municipal elections.

According to high level sources resignation of Mulak, too, is unlikely to be accepted. He has done a lot of work and established connect among the people in rural area. Apart from travelling for several kilometers and meeting people, Mulak had conducted several activities to benefit the party. It was under his leadership Congress won two Assembly seats in rural area - one of Saoner (Sunil Kedar, Minister of Animal Husbandry) and Umred where Raju Parwe had emerged victorious.

Also, Mulak was successful in keeping Congress intact in the challenging situation.

Leaders like Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Devendra Fadnavis from BJP camp were active. But Mulak led Congress in rural sector in Zilla Parishad, Municipal Council, Gram Panchayat polls and the party registered victory. It will be challenging for Congress to find a replacement to Mulak considering the bonding he has developed in rural area. Till filing of this report, none of the resignations were accepted by the State Party Presidents. It will be no surprise if the party High Command asks both Mulak and Thakre to continue.