Maharashtra Congress Infighting: After Brother-In-Law's 'Rebellion', Balasaheb Thorat Reportedly Writes To Kharge; Claims State Unit Chief Nana Patole Has Anger Towards Him

Senior Congress in Maharashtra leader Balasaheb Thorat has written to the party's central leadership citing his inability to work with Maharashtra unit chief Nana Patole due to the latter's 'anger' towards him, an aide of the former claimed on Monday.

In his letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Thorat, a former state unit chief and minister, has also said he is not being consulted before decisions were being taken here, the aide added.

The matter comes days after then Nashik graduates constituency MLC Sudhir Tambe, who is the brother-in-law of Thorat, declined to contest despite being the Congress' official candidate and got his son Satyajit Tambe to fight as an independent. Satyajit Tambe won the poll, results of which were announced on 2 February.

While the Congress was left red-faced due to the episode, the silence of Thorat, who is recuperating from a shoulder injury, was seen as silent support to the Tambe father-son duo, sources said.

While Thorat did not take part in the campaign of Satyajit Tambe in the run up to the polls on 30 January, several of the former's kin were present. The Congress has suspended Sudhir Tambe and Satyajit Tambe from the party for the MLC poll twist.

Thorat has also said he was insulted by the (state) party leadership and statements were made against his family on the (Tambe) issue, the aide said quoting the letter.

Some functionaries from Ahmednagar were punished over this issue, the letter to Kharge further said.

Patole, on 26 January, had disbanded the Ahmednagar district committee of the Congress for 'anti party activities' as some of its members had reportedly campaigned for Satyajit Tambe instead of the candidate to whom the party had officially extended support.

With inputs from PTI.