City Cong leaders told to bury the hatchet

MUMBAI : The Congress party’s central leadership has intervened in the ongoing feud among its Mumbai unit leaders and is expected to leave no stone unturned in getting the quarrelling leaders to reconcile ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

Following the feud within the Mumbai Congress recently surfacing in the open, party president Rahul Gandhi had directed the All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in-charge, Maharashtra, Malli- karjun Kharge, to speak to Mumbai leaders. Kharge held a meeting with leaders on Tuesday in Delhi and is now expected to define the roles of leaders of various factions to ensure the dispute does not affect party prospects. The Mumbai Congress is a divided house with several party leaders not getting along with city unit chief Sanjay Nirupam, according to sources.

The party’s former MP and former union minister Milind Deora had expressed his disappointment over the infighting. He said he was not sure if he would contest the Lok Sabha elections. Gandhi was reportedly unhappy with the feud surfacing in the open. “Leaders, including Nirupam, Arif Naseem Khan, Eknath Gaikwad met Khargeji, who heard them patiently, although he upfront told the leaders that infighting will not be tolerated. He was clear that the mud slinging in public may hamper party prospects. All the top leaders had grievances against the Mumbai unit president. In response, he complained of nonco-operation,” said a leader who was part of the meeting. Kharge was expected to apprise the differences among Mumbai leaders to Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday. “Khargeji is likely to hold a meeting with the leaders over the issue again in Mumbai,” said another leader.