The process of selecting Congress candidates for the upcoming Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) elections was plunged into controversy on its very first day. Three prominent former corporators were prevented from participating in the interviews, leading to intense speculation about their political futures and potential unrest within the party's local unit.
Key Leaders Denied Entry to Interview Process
The interviews for Congress ticket aspirants commenced on Friday, December 19, at Devadiya Bhavan and are scheduled to continue on Saturday, December 20. The process covers hopefuls from various assembly constituencies across the city. On the inaugural day, which focused on aspirants from South-West, West, and North Nagpur, former corporators Manoj Sangole, Purushottam Hajare, and Kamlesh Chaudhary were notably barred from taking part.
This move has fueled widespread speculation that the party's high command may ultimately deny election tickets to these three leaders. Such a decision is feared to trigger significant internal conflicts ahead of the crucial civic polls. The interviews were overseen by a panel that included district observer Ranjit Kamble, West Nagpur MLA and city Congress president Vikas Thackeray, MLC Abhijeet Wanjarri, and former minister Satish Chaturvedi, among others.
Past Actions Haunt Aspirants' Prospects
The reasons for excluding the three leaders appear to be rooted in their past political activities, which were perceived as going against the party line. Manoj Sangole, a five-time corporator from Ward 2 in North Nagpur, had contested the last assembly elections as a candidate for the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). He stood against sitting Congress MLA Nitin Raut and lost. His return to the Congress fold has not smoothed things over, as his opposition to Raut reportedly led the MLA to file a formal complaint with the Pradesh Congress Committee, creating resistance against him.
Similarly, Kamlesh Chaudhary from Ward 14 in West Nagpur had campaigned against the party's official candidate in the previous assembly polls. He supported independent candidate Narendra Jichkar instead of the Congress's Vikas Thackeray, who is now the city president. This act of defiance is seen as the primary reason for his exclusion from the interview process. Chaudhary is also known as a staunch supporter of former MLA Sunil Kedar.
In the case of Purushottam Hajare from East Nagpur, he had chosen to contest the assembly elections as an independent candidate. This move led to accusations of engaging in anti-party activities. Despite this, Hajare is acknowledged to maintain considerable influence in his local area.
High Stakes for 151 Corporator Seats
The controversy unfolds against the backdrop of intense competition for a ticket. Over 1,000 aspirants have purchased nomination forms for the 151 corporator seats in the Nagpur Municipal Corporation. The sheer number of hopefuls underscores the high stakes involved in securing the party's backing.
The exclusion of seasoned leaders like Sangole, Chaudhary, and Hajare at the initial interview stage sends a strong message about party discipline. However, it also risks alienating their support bases and could lead to factional disputes that might weaken the Congress's position in the electoral battle. The party leadership now faces the delicate task of managing these internal tensions while presenting a united front to voters.
