Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala announced on Monday that the party would prioritize giving tickets for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections to candidates who are "hardworking," "loyal," and "new faces."
Addressing a gathering of leaders from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Jalna, Chennithala highlighted the Congress party's significant success in the recent Lok Sabha elections, where they emerged as the largest party in Maharashtra. The Congress secured 13 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
"In 2019, the Congress had only one MP from Maharashtra. By 2024, that number rose to 14, including an Independent MP from Sangli who was a former Congress rebel. We are determined to replicate this success in the upcoming assembly elections, with the Maha Vikas Aghadi contesting together," Chennithala stated, as reported by PTI.
Chennithala, who is in charge of the Congress' Maharashtra operations, emphasized the party's commitment to rewarding new and loyal members who have consistently worked hard. His remarks were made during a review meeting for the assembly elections and a felicitation ceremony for Marathwada MPs.
The Congress' Maharashtra unit has often been described as divided, according to several reports. This internal discord was evident during the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections a few months ago, where legislators from the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance reportedly cross-voted, leading to the defeat of one of their own candidates. It was discovered that at least 6-7 Congress MLAs were among those who cross-voted.