Maharashtra politics news: After former Maharashtra Chief Minister and Congress strongman Ashok Chavan quit the grand old party, senior Congress leader from the state Sanjay Nirupam made a big claim. On Monday, Ashok Chavan resigned from the primary membership of the Congress party and also as the MLA.
Chavan will join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today at around 12 pm. Nirupam said that Chavan was very upset with the working style of a particular leader.
He also said that Ashok Chavan apprised the top leadership of the Congress about the same. Sanjay Nirupam mentioned that Chavan wouldn't have quit had his grievances been taken seriously by the top leadership of the party.
"Ashok Chavan was definitely a big asset for the party. Some are calling him a liability, some are holding ED responsible, all this is a hasty reaction," Nirupam said in his post on X (previously Twitter).
"He was basically very upset with the working style of a leader from Maharashtra. He had given this information to the top leadership from time to time. Had his complaints been taken seriously, this situation would not have happened," he added.
Not only this, Nirupam also hailed Ashok Chavan as resourceful, a skilled organiser and a leader having strong ground connect. He added that Chavan's loss is a huge one and "no one will be able to compensate for it."
"Ashok Chavan is resourceful, a skilled organiser, has a firm grasp on the ground and is a serious leader. When Bharat Jodo Yatra was in Nanded for five days last year, the entire leadership had seen his potential firsthand. His leaving Congress is a big loss for us. No one will be able to compensate for it. The responsibility of taking care of him was ours alone," he concluded.
After his resignation, former Maharashtra CM and Congressman Prithviraj Chavan said that he was unaware about the compulsion that propelled Chavan to leave the party.
"This is an unfortunate decision. Never thought a person like him would take such a step," Chavan said. "Voters will teach those who deserted them a lesson," he also said. Commenting on Ashok Chavan's resignation, NCP leader Baba Siddique said that more people are going to leave the party because one tries to find a way when they feel suffocated.
He added that Chavan's resignation is a "wake-up call for Congress", while adding that the party is living in an illusion.
Siddique said: "Ashok Chavan called me and I told him that we are going to meet soon in the way ahead. More people are going to leave because when a person feels suffocated, he tries to find a way. It is a wake-up call for Congress but I don't think they are going to wake up. They live in La La land, they are living in illusion... There must be a reason why people are leaving Congress..."
Chavan's surprise departure came as a big shock to the Congress ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections after senior leaders like Baba Siddique and Milind Deora also left the party. Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second largest after Uttar Pradesh.
After his resignation, Chavan said his decision to leave was a personal one and dismissed any connection to the white paper on the Adarsh Building Scam. His alleged involvement in the Adarsh Building Scam led to his resignation as the Maharashtra CM in 2010.
Also Read: 'Maha' blow to Congress: Ex-CM Ashok Chavan to join BJP today after quitting grand old party