Congress to decide BMC alliance July 7

The Congress will decide on July 7 whether it will fight the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections in alliance or go it solo in the contest.

AICC general secretary in-charge of Maharashtra unit, Ramesh Chennithala, announced this after a meeting of senior leaders of the party from the state.

He said the party will also consult its local leaders on the issue for other local body elections across Maharashtra.

Senior party leaders from the state including former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, Rajani Patil, Pradesh Congress president Harshwardhan Vasantrao Sapkal and former PCC chief Nana Patole were present in the meeting held here.

They later met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence and briefed him about the discussions.

Chennithala later told reporters that the meeting with senior leaders of Maharashtra was held at AICC headquarters to discuss the upcoming local body elections.

"We discussed our future strategy and other important issues. We will continue to strengthen the party in Maharashtra. From now on, one such meeting will be organised every month where senior leaders from the state would meet and discuss important issues before the party," he said.

He added that discussions were held on upcoming local bodies elections and Congress leaders discussed on how to move forward.

"The issue of bogus polling and irregularities during last assembly polls was also discussed. Ways and means to strengthen the Congress in Maharashtra were also discussed," he said.

"The political affairs committee of the Congress in Maharashtra would hold a meeting in Mumbai on July 7 where a final decision on whether to go alone or in alliance in the upcoming BMC elections will be taken," he said.

Chennithala also said that the party will organise a brainstorming session or 'shivir' for the state soon.

"No decision has been taken yet on an alliance, we will be doing that in the coming days," he said when asked again on whether the Congress would contest the local bodies elections on its own or with other alliance partners.

Asked about going with Raj Thackeray, who has spoken often against north Indians in Mumbai, Chennithala said, "We do not agree with Raj Thackeray's statement about ousting people from North from Mumbai." Chavan said the meeting began at 10 am and continued till 4 pm, with several party leaders from Maharashtra discussing about organisational issues.

"Everyone shared their views on how we should contest the local body elections," he said.

Maharashtra Congress president Sapkal said meetings will be held across the state to seek the views of local party units to explore political alliances for local body elections.

Patole later told reporters that the BJP was bringing the issue of Hindi language only to divert attention from the failures of its government in Maharashtra.

He alleged that the language issue is one brought by the BJP to divert attention from price rise, corruption and misgovernance.

"I would urge people not to get carried away by such diversionary tactics of the BJP," Patole said.