Gondia ZP polls: Patole accuses NCP of backstabbing

With the NCP joining hands with the BJP to elect the president and vicepresident of Gondia zilla parishad (ZP), keeping the Congress away from power with the support of Independents and a local outfit, a rift between the allies came to the fore on Tuesday. Launching a scathing attack on the NCP, state Congress chief Nana Patole labelled the NCP as “backstabber”.

The BJP’s Pankaj Rahangdale was elected as the president and NCP’s Yashwant Gunvir as the vice-president.

“If it (NCP ) wants enmity, do it openly, we are ready for it. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government is formed by three parties comprising the Shiv Sena, the NCP and the Congress under a common minimum programme,” noted Patole. He added that the Con- gress high command will be apprised at the upcoming Udaipur conclave about the “machinations” of the NCP over the last two-and-a-half years.

He said friendship should be done with all honesty and that “an enemy attacking openly from the front is better.”

Patole said that despite being in an alliance, the NCP encroached the Congress turf in Malegaon, Bhiwandi and several other places.

He recalled that the MVA partners Jayant Patil (NCP), Subhash Desai (Shiv Sena), and himself had resolved that efforts should be made to ensure that maximum ZPs stay with the MVA.

In Bhandara, five rebel members of the BJP led by former MLA Charan Waghmare joined hands with the Congress to elect the party candidate as the president of the ZP.

A BJP member was elected as the vice-president of Bhandara ZP.

However, state NCP chief and water resources minister Jayant Patil said that it would be appropriate to speak only after looking at the circumstances under which the decision to join hands with the saffron party was taken.

He added that there might be differences between local leaders and the party will take note of it. He clarified that the NCP had no intention to disturb the MVA.

“There are many local body elections coming up and that the local leadership is expected to work together to bring the MVA to power,’’ said Patil.

Jayant Patil clarifies NCP had no intention to disturb the MVA