MLC Joshi sets sights on MP post

Updated on: 06 December,2010 09:08 AM IST |
Vivek Sabnis |

State Congress secy wants to replace Suresh Kalmadi as city MP

State Congress secy wants to replace Suresh Kalmadi as city MP

He was speaking on the background of the silver jubilee celebrations of the Pune marathon. Kalmadi was present on the occasion with celebrities like Vivek Oberoi and Sameera Reddy, state forest minister Patangrao Kadam and Shiv Sena MP Adhalrao Patil.

Joshi said his close connection with Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi would help him get a ticket to contest the next Lok Sabha election. "The path is now clear for me to become the next MP of Pune," he said with confidence.

Joshi said he was second only to BJP candidate Pradeep Ravat in the 1999 elections. "I had even surpassed the sitting MP Viththal Tupe on that occasion, who was in the third position," he said. "I have already presented the picture before the party high command about the need to get an eligible strong party candidate like me.
On condition of anonymity, a senior Congressman said the marathon was a final attempt to salvage Kalmadi's image.

"People in the city have already lost faith in him. The multi-crore Commonwealth Games scam has also tarnished the image of Congress. He may not get a ticket to contest the next Lok Sabha election," he said.

Ravi Shankar Prasad, the former union minister of Information and Broadcasting, and a BJP MP, was in the city.
He appealed to the Congress that the party should take stern action against Kalmadi over the corruption charges against him.

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