‘Pact with Sena UBT is turning self-destructive for Cong’

AFTER THE announcement of candidate for Mumbai North West Lok Sabha seat by Uddhav Thackeray led Shiv Sena, Congress aspirant SANJAY NIRUPAM has given an ultimatum of one week to his party and said that he has all the options open if the decision is not reversed. In an interview with ALOK DESHPANDE, the former Mumbai Congress chief said that Shiv Sena UBT is set to bury the Congress in Mumbai and the leadership has failed to protect the interests of workers. Excerpts:

Did you ask for the Congress ticket from Mumbai North West Lok Sabha constituency?

After I lost my 2019 Lok Sabha elections, I did not keep quiet even for a day. I was working tirelessly for five years. It is my right to contest the election from here (Mumbai North West). But Shiv Sena pressured us and we surrendered in front of such a party which has lost its strength. Surrendering in front of a party which has lost the mass base means the beginning of writing an obituary of the Congress.

How can letting one seat to an ally result in the end of the party?

Shiv Sena UBT has announced candidates in four out of six seats (in Mumbai) and they are going to announce the fifth one as well in a few days. Congress will get one remaining seat as a charity. This is nothing but an attempt to bury the Congress in Mumbai and I condemn it. I condemn the Shiv Sena leadership and the Congress leadership which participated in the seat sharing discussions. The Congress leaders who were sent for negotiations did not act tough. They did not care about Mumbai. Like Balasaheb Thorat, I say that the Sena should rethink and if they don’t then Congress should break the alliance and fight the battle, if they want to save the party. The alliance with Shiv Sena is turning to be self-destructive.

What are your reservations against the Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate for Mumbai North West?

The candidate faces corruption charges and he is being pro bed by theed. he has allegedly taken money from the contractors supplying Khichdi to migrant workers during Covid-19 pandemic.io pp os et his candidate and I will never work for such' k hi ch di chor' candidate. Congress' big votebank is of migrant labourers. This candidate has taken commission in the meals of these workers and therefore no Congress worker will vote for him. The Congress leadership who takes a high moral ground on the issue of corruption, should answer as to whether it approves this candidate.

Has Congress leadership failed?

The leadership does not care about local leaders. Nobody had any discussion with me in last two weeks, nobody asked me if there was any alternative, nobody asked me why I want to contest this. At a time when Congress leadership is talking about extending Nyay (justice) to different sections of the society, it is not looking into the injustice committed against its own party workers. I want to tell the leadership that I will wait for one week. All options are open for me. I am not sitting without any option and I am ready for a battle till the end. I will make the announcement after one week. Even in case of Prakash Ambedkar, the leadership should have found a way out of it. But it seems that even he was let go in the midway.

Is Sena UBT turning out to be a threat for Congress in Maharashtra?

The manner in which seats have been snatched from the Congress, it seems that the Sena has a hidden agenda to destroy Congress completely and create a votebank within the Congress' votes. It should have been equal distribution of seats in Mumbai, but force used by the Sena puts a question mark on its intention. will Congress' traditional voter go with the Sena? Even in 2019, I was the one to openly oppose the alliance between Sena and Congress.

Will you contest the election?

You will get the answer in one week. After all, I am a politician and where will I go if I do not contest the election?