Congress sends special team to manage state elections

Senior party leaders will address infighting in party in Mumbai, and defector issues in the state ahead of general elections

While the Congress has high hopes from Maharashtra for the Lok Sabha polls, the faction feud and election mismanagement might hamper its prospects if not addressed in time. The party has thus deputed a team of high-level national leaders to get the ball rolling in the state on Saturday.

General secretary of All India Congress Committee (organisation) KC Venugopal, state in-charge Mallikarjun Kharge and specially-appointed election observer Madhusudan Mistri have been tasked with the job of ensuring good results for the party in Maharashtra. The team will be in Mumbai on Saturday to meet state leaders.

The Congress has announced all its candidates except for one in Pune. But there have been complaints of rebellion and infighting in many segments, with the Mumbai unit having its president changed overnight. New president Milind Deora is now tasked with getting the party perform in the five Mumbai seats that the Congress had been winning regularly in the past.

In western and southern Maharashtra, the BJP-Sena has inducted Congress leaders into their party fold and given them poll tickets.

Defectors worry Congress
The phenomenon is worrying the Congress given the amount of votes such defectors turned in the favour of BJP in 2014. Sujay Vikhe Patil in Ahmednagar is one such point of concern this year.

There are also factions in the Congress that are not too happy over the selection of candidates. Such disgruntled Congress workers have decided not to work for the party in Mumbai.

So far, Maharashtra is the only state where the Congress has asked a senior functionary to work as an observer.

Observer for Maharashtra

Mistri, who had worked in the state in the past, will keep a close eye on the pre-election developments, try to resolve issues and report indiscipline to the high command, if it persists despite his intervention.

Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant denied existence of any serious issues in his party in Maharashtra. "Our seniors will be here to meet leaders, guide us on poll management and campaigning," he said.

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