Balasaheb Thorat, Nana Patole together in Congress meeting

Amid serious differences within the Congress in Maharashtra vis-a-vis the bye-elections to the Nashik Division Graduates’ constituency and other issues, Balasaheb Thorat and Nana Patole came face to face at the crucial Congress state executive committee meeting on Wednesday.

Thorat (70) had resigned as the leader of Congress Legislature Party (CLP) apparently following differences with Patole, who is the Maharashtra unit President of Congress.

Last Sunday, All India Congress Committee’s Maharashtra in-charge H K Patil came to Mumbai and met Thorat one-on-one after which the latter agreed to attend the Congress plenary in Raipur 24-26 February where he would also be meeting Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.

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Throat came to the office of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee in Mumbai to attended the state executive.

Thorat and Patole sat next to each other.

When asked about being upset with Patole, he flatly denied.

"Who said I am upset with anyone? I came to know about this only through the media. I have never expressed that I am upset,” he said.

When pointed out that he has sent a letter to the Congress high-command, he said: “This happens in all parties (as part of communication)…I have also sent.”

Patil has ruled out accepting Thorat’s resignation, however, the former minister and ex-state Congress President has maintained silence over the issue.

Thorat’s brother-in-law Dr Sudhir Tambe has been representing the Nashik seat to Council for three terms - 18 years - and this time the family was keen that his son Satyajeet Tambe should contest.

Dr Tambe’s name was cleared by Kharge, however, the junior Tambe was ignored following which he contested as an Independent against Shubhangi Patil, the official candidate of the Maha Vikas Aghadi and won the seat.

After this, Thorat and Tambe had pointed fingers at Patole.