In a significant development ahead of the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) polls, Congress state secretary and former corporator Rahul Dive tendered his resignation from the party on Tuesday. His departure signals deepening internal unrest within the party's local unit at a critical juncture.
Resignation Over Local Autonomy
Dive, a prominent local face, stated that his decision to quit stemmed primarily from the party's refusal to grant freedom to its local leadership in making decisions about forming electoral alliances. He expressed frustration over the centralised control, which he felt undermined the ground-level workers' understanding of Nashik's political landscape.
Speaking to reporters in Nashik, Dive confirmed his resignation and elaborated on his reasons. He revealed that most party workers in Nashik city shared the sentiment that continuing in the party was futile if their opinions were consistently ignored by the higher echelons of the party leadership.
The Controversial Press Conference and Fallout
This exit follows a controversial episode last month that highlighted the disconnect between local and central leadership. During a press conference of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), Dive had announced that all MVA partners, including the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), would jointly contest the upcoming civic polls.
However, within a few hours, senior Congress politicians publicly refuted his statement. They clarified that the party would not remain in the alliance if the MNS was included, directly contradicting Dive's announcement and embarrassing the local leader. This incident is seen as a key trigger for his resignation.
Adding to the context, Dive had recently been involved in interviewing potential candidates for the polls alongside senior Congress functionaries, an experience that reportedly deepened his disappointment with the lack of decision-making power at the local level.
A Major Jolt Before Crucial Civic Polls
Rahul Dive's resignation is perceived as a major setback for the Congress party, which is already preparing for the challenging Nashik Municipal Corporation elections scheduled for January 15. The party's performance in the last NMC polls in 2017 was dismal, where it managed to win only six seats out of a total of 122.
Dive's exit threatens to demoralise the party cadre and weaken its organisational structure in Nashik at a time when unity is paramount. When questioned about his future political moves, Dive did not reveal whether he plans to join the BJP or any other partner of the ruling Mahayuti alliance, leaving his next steps open to speculation.
The development underscores the persistent tensions within political parties regarding autonomy for local units and sets the stage for a highly competitive civic election in Nashik.
