Nana Patole asks Mallikarjun Kharge to relieve him of Maharashtra chief post: Sources
The Maharashtra Congress president, Nana Patole, wrote to party leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi, seeking to be relieved of his position, sources told India Today TV.
In his letter, according to the sources, Patole noted that under his leadership, the party did not perform well in the state assembly elections. Patole also mentioned that he had completed four years in the role and sought to be relieved of his responsibilities.
The Congress, an ally of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi bloc, contested 101 seats in the Maharashtra elections but won only 16, marking its lowest tally in the state’s history. The party, which once dominated the region, suffered significant losses, with senior leaders like former minister Balasaheb Thorat and former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan losing their constituencies.
Nana Patole held on to his Sakoli assembly seat in Bhandara district, but his victory came with a narrow margin of 208 votes.
This year, one of the reasons behind Congress’s colossal defeat in the polls was the lack of leadership. Rahul Gandhi (7) and Mallikarjun Kharge (9) did only 16 rallies combined. By the time Priyanka Gandhi Vadra joined the campaign, conducting three rallies and a roadshow, it was too late. Her campaign could have targeted women voters, but her involvement was limited as she focused on her debut battle in Wayanad until November 13.
