Nirupam lashes out at Thackeray over LS seat

MUMBAI: Congress leader and former member of Parliament Sanjay Nirupam is upset after Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray declared Amol Kirtikar as the MVA candidate from Mumbai North West Lok Sabha constituency. Nirupam, who was trying to contest from the same constituency, came out all guns blazing against Thackeray for declaring a candidate without a seat-sharing pact being finalised by the three parties— Congress, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and Shiv Sena (UBT).

He also targeted Kirtikar over his being an accused in the Khichdi scam of the BMC and questioned the announcement. He then urged Thackeray to withdraw the announcement.

On Saturday, Thackeray during his visit to a party shakha declared Kirtikar’s name as an MVA candidate from Mumbai North West constituency.

There are around 8-9 seats Mumbai North West on which consensus among the three parties is yet to be reached.

“Isn’t announcing a candidate in such circumstances a violation of the alliance mandate? Did he want to humiliate Congress? The top Congress leadership should intervene,” Nirupam said, commenting on Thackeray.

He then took a dig at Kirtikar and said, “He is an accused in the Khichdi scam. He has taken bribes from Khichdi suppliers in cheques. The Khichdi scam emerged during COVID-19. Sena’s proposed candidate has taken commission from the supplier under the scheme initiated to feed the poor.” He also pointed out an investigation into the scam by the enforcement directorate.

Hours later, Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad also clarified that the seat-sharing formula was yet to be decided. Nirupam wants to contest the general elections from the Mumbai North West constituency. He was elected as an MP from the Mumbai North constituency in 2009.