The dissatisfaction of Congress with the distribution of seats within the MVA alliance has resulted in the fielding of several independent candidates against likely Shiv Sena (UBT) candidates for Maharashtra’s most significant and strategic parliamentary seats – Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Nashik and Nagpur. These candidate have complained of inadequate, inconvenient seats and they rely on local support to carry the election without any support from the national parties.
In Byculla, ex-Congress MLA Madhu Chavan has filed dual affidavits: He contested the election once in Congress ticket and second time independently. His decision, he says, is due to anger over the Shiv Sena (UBT) nominee Manoj Jamsutkar getting the ticket. Chavan said that he did not want to hurt the feelings of party workers who felt let down by the betrayal of Jamsutkar ahead of the last election.
Some other Congress members who are fighting the election as independent candidates are former corporator Raju Pednekar in Versova, Rajendra Mulak in Ramtek, Hemlata Patil in Nashik Central and Kiran Kale in Ahmednagar City. Opposing Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Harun Khan in Versova, Pednekar claimed that he enjoys the people’s support to triumph over his rival, saying, “This is with people.”
The situation may be symbolic for the suppressed frustration of Congress supporters and local party workers of Igatpuri and Nashik Central constituencies did not even endorse MVA ‘official’ candidates. It seems that in Nashik Central Hemlata Patil is fighting against Vasantrao Gite of Shiv Sena(UBT) Similarly the Igatpuri party workers were very much disappointed for the nomination of Laki Jadhav instead of local leader.
In the Ahmednagar City, Kiran Kale contests independently against Abhishek Kalamkar of Nationalist Congress Party which has Sharad Pawar as its leader, showing the MVA cracks as it prepares for the Maharashtra assembly polls.
