Congress has consolidated itself in Maharashtra, says MPCC chief

The Congress has gained some strength and consolidated its base in new areas during the recent local bodies elections which will brighten its prospects in Maharashtra, Pradesh Congress Committee president Manikrao Thakre said here.

With jubilation written large on his face, Thakre said the Congress came out with flying colours in Sangli where alliance partner NCP had been ruling for quite some time in the Municipal Corporation.

Two NCP stalwarts, Home Minister R R Patil and Rural Development Minister Jayant Patil were camping in the district but Congress won the polls.

The Congress also won the Bhor Municipal Council again defeating NCP.The party snatched an MNS seat and pushed NCP to fourth place in byelection in Pune Municipal Corporation, Thakre said. He said now the party was keen to penetrate in Jalgaon Municipal Corporation where polls are scheduled later this month. Though the party was doing well it has no presence in the Jalgaon civic body. On the seat sharing with alliance partners like NCP during the forthcoming General Elections and state Assembly elections in 2014, Thakre parried direct queries but said both the elections will be fought on the basis of respective party strength in local bodies.

Moreover other factors including the final say by Congress high command, prevailing poltical situation at that time and electoral merits of individual candidates will be deciding factors.

It is too early to talk both polls, he said. On the separate Vidarbha issue, Thakre who hails from Yavatmal district in Vidarbha, chose to be silent. Former Congress Chief Ministers Vilasrao Deshmukh, Sushil Kumar Shinde who is now Union Home Minister, Ashok Chavan and incumbent Chief Minster Prithiviraj Chavan, have opposed creation of separate Vidarbha.