With Ashok Chavan, former Chief Minister, resigning from the primary membership of Congress, rumours have started making rounds that some other leaders too would put their papers. Right now, leaders are talking cautiously about their possible exit from Congress. According to sources, Nana Patole, President of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) left for Delhi to appraise the party high command about the situation in the State and discuss the next strategy. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had indicated that many leaders from Congress would resign, which has come true. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, after Ashok Chavan’s resignation, said, “More leaders of Congress are in touch with BJP. They can join Mahayuti. Wait for the developments.” The development has created havoc as Congress fears, Chavan has many followers within the party who may resign. D P Sawant, ex-Minister; Amarnath Rajurkar, MLA; Raju Parwe, Umred MLA; Sunil Kedar, Vijay Wadettiwar, Leader of Opposition; Sulabha Khodke, MLA, are some of the names doing rounds. Dr Babanrao Taywade, who heads Rashtriya OBC Mahasangh, is considered as a confidant of Chavan. He has not resigned yet and said that he would stay with Congress.

 

Meanwhile, Vijay Wadettiwar refuted the news that he was resigning. He, on the contrary, expressed shock over the resignation of Ashok Chavan. “He did not discuss anything with me. I have been working with him since year 2000, because of which my name was dragged among the leaders likely to resign. Right now I am in my constituency,” said Wadettiwar. If Congress leader Rahul Gandhi insults the OBC community, how come his leaders would stay with the party, questioned Chandrashekhar Bawankule, President of Maharashtra State BJP. Bawankule said, “Ashok Chavan will explain the reason of his resignation soon. There is no proposal of giving Rajya Sabha seat to Chavan at this moment. We have a majority to win three seats. Shinde and Ajit Pawar will get one seat each.” Raju Parve also termed the rumor of his resignation as rumor. “I don’t think our party leaders will resign enmass, the way BJP is claiming. Nobody wants disqualification at this stage. The split that took place in NCP and Shiv Sena is unlikely to take place in Congress. In last two days my Umred constituency suffered from hailstorm and I am visiting the places to take stock of the damages took place.” According to sources, Sulabha Khodke, Amravati MLA may join Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar) group but she clearly told ‘The Hitavada’ that she would stay loyal to Congress always. Similarly Vikas Thakre, President of Nagpur City Congress pointed out that he has many friends in other parties that doesn’t mean he would resign from Congress. “My friends in other parties work for their units so I work for my unit. There is no question of resigning,” Thakre said.