Congress Infighting Puts Chandrapur Mayoral Ambitions at Risk
Despite holding a numerical advantage in the Chandrapur Municipal Corporation, the Congress party finds its bid for the mayor's post severely strained by deep-seated factional divisions. The ongoing tussle between the camps led by senior leader Vijay Wadettiwar and Pratibha Dhanorkar has cast a shadow over the party's prospects ahead of the crucial election scheduled for February 10.
Factional Strife Undermines Party Unity
Chandrapur represents a rare opportunity for the Congress in Maharashtra, as it is one of only two municipal corporations, alongside Latur, where the party has the numbers to lead the civic body. However, internal discord has repeatedly threatened to derail this advantage. Both the Wadettiwar and Dhanorkar factions have aggressively sought control over the mayoral position following the municipal elections, leading to a protracted conflict that has required intervention from state and national party leadership.
Senior Congress leader and Chandrapur MLA Vijay Wadettiwar clarified on Tuesday that his faction has not filed any nomination forms for the mayor's post. He emphasized that the decision taken by the party high command in Delhi and the Pradesh Congress Committee has been accepted by all groups within the party. "Since the high command has taken a clear decision, none from our side has filled the mayoral nomination form," Wadettiwar stated, adding that "27 Congress corporators will meet and come together, so there is no confusion regarding the mayoral post."
Legal Battles and Power-Sharing Agreements
The factional dispute escalated to a legal confrontation when 18 Congress corporators aligned with Wadettiwar approached the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court, alleging procedural lapses in group registration and voting documentation. This petition has since been withdrawn, but the conflict prompted Wadettiwar to lead a delegation of corporators to Delhi to demonstrate strength.
Ultimately, the party leadership upheld the state unit's decision to allocate the mayor's post to the Dhanorkar group and the group leader's position to the Wadettiwar faction, with a proposed power-sharing formula for the future. Congress leader Pratibha Dhanorkar confirmed that her group has staked claim to the mayor's post, with Rajesh Arur filing the nomination, while Vasantrao Deshmukh has been proposed as deputy mayor. She noted that a meeting with AICC general secretary K C Venugopal finalized this arrangement.
Competitive Landscape and Numerical Challenges
With the BJP and Shiv Sena (UBT) also filing nominations for the mayor and deputy mayor posts, the Congress faces increased pressure to consolidate its numbers. Wadettiwar revealed that the Congress currently has the backing of 32 corporators, including allies, in the 66-member Chandrapur Municipal Corporation and requires the support of two more corporators to secure a majority. "Discussions are ongoing in this regard," he said, downplaying urgency by remarking, "Now that the election date is fixed, there is no point in rushing decisions."
The BJP, with 23 corporators and one from the Shinde faction, bringing its tally to 24, is also exploring the possibility of staking claim to the mayor's post. This competitive environment heightens the risk for the Congress if internal divisions prevent effective coordination.
Broader Implications for Congress Strategy
This episode highlights the persistent challenges of factionalism within the Congress party at the local level, which can undermine electoral gains even in favorable conditions. The repeated need for interventions from higher leadership underscores the difficulty in managing internal disputes and maintaining party discipline.
As the election date approaches, the Congress must navigate these internal rifts to leverage its numerical strength effectively. Failure to do so could result in missed opportunities and strengthen rival parties in a key municipal arena.
