Tensions ran high between the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi’s (MVA) constituents Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress on Sunday as both parties continued to stake claim over which candidate would contest the Sangli Lok Sabha seat in the election.
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The Shiv Sena (UBT), in its list of 21 candidates, has already announced wrestler Chandrahar Patil for the Sangli seat — a move that has irked the Congress leadership across the State.
On Sunday, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole hit out at Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut, urging him to “stop his antics” and rein in his tongue.
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“Mr. Raut is a senior leader of the Sena (UBT). He ought to keep a limit on what he says. When we are repeatedly saying that this issue [about which party will contest Sangli] will be resolved by talking to our superiors, he [Raut] should stop behaving like an ordinary party worker and restrain himself,” Mr. Patole said.
Mr. Raut, while touring Sangli on Saturday, had hinted that the Congress leadership in the region was trying to hamstring the chances of the Sena (UBT)’s candidate Chandrahar Patil.
“Sangli belongs to the Sena (UBT). We have already declared our candidate,” he said.
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The Sena (UBT)’s allegedly unilateral announcement has upset Congress MLA from Sangli, Vishwajeet Kadam, who, on Saturday, met the party’s Maharashtra in-charge Ramesh Chennithala in Nagpur and impressed upon him that the Congress ought to be contesting the seat.
Meanwhile, Mr. Raut justified his party’s move to stake claim on the Sangli seat without prior consulation with its allies.
“Even the Bhiwandi seat was declared by the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) without taking the Congress and us into confidence,” Mr. Raut had said.