K C Venugopal, Ramesh Chennithala holds meetings with Maharashtra Congress leaders to review Assembly poll preparations

Mumbai: As the Congress got going for the forthcoming Vidhan Sabha polls in Maharashtra, the high-command’s message was very clear: indiscipline among the ranks and files would not be tolerated.

The Congress party would formally launch its election campaign on 20 August, coinciding with the birth anniversary of late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

The Congress, before that, would also try to clear the seat-sharing arrangements with Maha Vikas Aghadi partners - Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP).

AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, and Ramesh Chennithala, Maharashtra in-charge, on Friday, held extensive deliberations with top leaders at a meeting of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC).

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole, working president Nasseem Khan, Congress Legislative party leader Balasaheb Thorat, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar, former chief ministers Sushilkumar Shinde and Prithviraj Chavan, Mumbai Congress president Prof Varsha Gaikwad, among others were present in the meeting held at Tilak Bhavan.

Speaking to reporters on the issue of discipline, Venugopal said, "Action has been taken and you will see the result in future. Discipline is very important."

On being asked whether the dissenting MLAs will be denied tickets to contest the Assembly elections, Venugopal said, “… you can have your own assumptions.”

Speaking about how the scenarios changed since the Lok Sabha polls, he said, “The political atmosphere in the country has changed...in the bye-elections to 13 Assembly seats, the BJP had just two seats whereas the I.N.D.I.A. bloc won 11 seats…After Ayodhya, we won Badrinath as well.”

Venugopal said this was a clear message. "In Maharashtra, a very top leader deserted us before the Lok Sabha polls… what happened in Nanded?" he asked in an apparent reference to former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan.

Venugopal said the Congress is in touch with all MVA allies. "We will focus on unemployment, farmers' issues. Today we discussed election preparations and strategy to strengthen our party in the state," he said.