MUMBAI: A week after NCP chief Sharad Pawar dismissed his remark that Congress would contest future polls on its own, state Congress president Nana Patole on Wednesday targeted NCP, saying it had “betrayed” Congress in 2014 assembly polls. As a result, Congress, he said, had now geared up to contest the 2024 general and assembly elections which, he reiterated, the party would fight on its own.
A week ago, Pawar had declined to comment on Patole’s “going solo” remarks, saying he would respond “only to statements made by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.” Incidentally, Patole is scheduled to address a party workers’ rally at Baramati, Pawar’s hometown, on July 29.
“Keeping in mind the experience of 2014, we’ve geared up for the 2024 Lok Sabha and assembly elections, which we will contest on our own. As head of the party at the state level, my job is to expand the party at all levels and ensure that we reach out to every individual. I have been given the task of attacking BJP. So far as the MVA government is concerned, it is firmly in the saddle and routine issues are sorted out by coordination committee,” he told TOI.
Patole said in view of NCP’s unilateral decision to terminate the alliance earlier, Congress had to pay a heavy price as it wasn’t prepared to contest the 2014 polls independently. He said in view of the changing political situation and the fact that Congress had suffered heavily in past, its strategy for the 2024 general polls was being finalised.
On his Baramati rally, Patole saidthat he was not challenging Pawar but was going on demands of the party workers.
