Getting into the driver's seat of a tractor, newly-appointed Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole drove to the historic August Kranti Maidan made his presence felt and hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his ‘andolan jeevi’ comment.
He accused Modi of being ‘dhongi jeevi’ – a comment that would not go down well in the saffron party. Patole (57), who hails from the OBC Kunbi community, is an ex-MP and a four-time MLA. A Congressman, he joined the BJP in 2015 and successfully contested the Lok Sabha elections from Bhandara-Gondiya.
However, in 2017, he was the first to raise a banner of revolt against Modi on farmers' issue and resigned and rejoined the Congress. Patole took over Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) from state Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat.
"People did not vote for the Modi government to sell the country's assets and destroy the country. Farmers interests need to be protected and their agriculture produce should be given a good price. Congress will not allow any of the national assets in Maharashtra to be sold," Patole, a firebrand leader from the Vidarbha region, said.