More Than Humiliating Rout What Worries Maharashtra Congress Leaders Is Nana Patole At The Helm

For Congress leaders in Maharashtra it is no longer the question of dealing with outright rejection in the assembly elections. What is bothering them is that PCC chief Nana Patole continues to enjoy trust and immense confidence in the party’s supreme leader Rahul Gandhi. Patole, who barely managed to retain his Sakoli assembly seat by a narrow margin of 208 votes, had offered to quit, but has been reportedly persuaded to stay put and manage party affairs. Partymen were surprised that Rahul continued to back Patole and wanted him to lead the campaign against EVM in consultation with allies in the state. A former party MP, once part of Rahul Gandhi’s inner circle, has gone ballistic ever since the Congress meltdown in the state. While he credits much of it to the success of Mahayuti’s Ladki Bahin Scheme, he has been highly  critical of the Congress’s electoral move to  better the Mahayuti’s Ladki Bahin Scheme by promising Rs 3,000 pm against Mahayuti’s Rs 1500 and repackaging it as Mahalaxmi scheme along with free bus  ride for women. “We did not expect this sort of public censure of our own manifesto from within. The Laadki Bahin money had reached the women in their bank accounts by Bhau Bheej (Diwali).That was the reason MVA promise of Rs 3000 and free bus travel found no takers,” said a Maharashtra Congress leader.  It is learnt that Ladki Bahin will not be rationalised or moderated at least till the civic polls are held. That means MVA would continue to languish in the cold for some more time.