With the clock ticking down to Tuesday's nomination deadline, the Congress party in Nagpur finds itself in a high-stakes race against time. The party is navigating a complex web of alliance negotiations, internal discontent, and a desperate push to project a united front ahead of the crucial civic elections.
Last-Minute Maneuvers and Alliance Arithmetic
Senior Congress leaders have indicated that the party's candidate list will be unveiled at the eleventh hour, likely around noon on Tuesday. MLC Abhijit Wanjari confirmed that talks with alliance partners have accelerated and are nearing a conclusion. The final seat-sharing discussions were held at a star hotel on Wardha Road, convened by senior leaders including Ranjit Kamble, city president Vikas Thakre, Wanjari himself, and Nitin Kumbhalkar.
According to internal party sources, the proposed formula would see Shiv Sena (UBT) receiving approximately 10 seats, while the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) faction is likely to get around 5 seats. The remaining seats are expected to be contested by the Congress, which has already declared an ambitious "Mission 100" agenda to mark its foundation day.
Containing Rebellion and Strategic Nominations
To prevent public revolt and derailment of its campaign message, the party leadership has adopted a cautious strategy. Aware of the potential for heartburn over ticket distribution, many hopefuls have been quietly advised to file their nomination papers even before the official list is declared. This move, as explained by a party functionary, allows for "room for adjustment" if names are changed at the last moment. One such aspirant informally encouraged to submit papers was Sandesh Singalkar.
Wanjari dismissed talks of a large-scale exodus from the party, despite several known faces leaving in recent weeks. He countered by claiming that some BJP hopefuls denied tickets are now in touch with Congress, stating, "It is not one-way traffic." However, leaders privately admit that the delay in announcements reflects both caution and underlying uncertainty, with factional pulls remaining a challenge in several electoral panels.
The Final Push and Narrative of Unity
With mere hours remaining, the party plans to upload its final candidate list late Monday night or early Tuesday. Beyond the arithmetic, the Congress leadership is banking on a broader political narrative. They hope to consolidate the combined opposition space in the city and convert it into votes, positioning themselves as the unified alternative to the ruling alliance.
Whether this frenetic, last-minute exercise fosters cohesion or fuels more discontent will become clear only after the list is public and campaigning begins in full force. The outcome will test the party's management of its allies and its own ranks in the high-stakes Nagpur civic polls.
