All is not well in Maharashtra Congress, party spokesperson Anant Gadgil says he is being sidelined
In a two pages letter, Gadgil says, "It is the Congress president Sonia Gandhi who nominated me as party spokesperson in 2004. Yet, I am not allowed to function and perform. This means that Soniaji is indirectly being vetoed by certain individuals."
In Short
- State Congress leaders are miffed with cross voting during presidential election.
- Gadgil had written a letter to party legislators telling how he was not allowed to work by other spokesperson of the party.
- He said that survival in the party is difficult if "high handedness" of certain individuals continues.
All is not going well within the State Congress now. On one hand, State Congress leaders are miffed with cross voting during presidential election, while one the other hand, national spokesperson and MLC Anant Gadgil had written a letter to party legislators and members how he was not allowed to work by other spokesperson of the party.
In a two pages letter, Gadgil says, "It is the Congress president Sonia Gandhi who nominated me as party spokesperson in 2004. Yet, I am not allowed to function and perform. This means that Soniaji is indirectly being vetoed by certain individuals. If this continues, it will be difficult for many hardcore Congressmen like me to survive in the party."
He further said, "In the last 13 years that I have served as the party spokesperson, never has the Congress been in trouble due to my statements. I have not made any personal remarks against any individual or spoken out of turn against the party's culture. While a formal press briefing was going on, I did not correct the statements made by the state Congress chief."
According to Gadgil, new spokesperson does not allow him to speak with media or to hold press conference at erstwhile Gandhi Bhavan, state party office at Nariman Point. Gadgil states that the earlier norm of party spokespersons visiting the state Congress office to interact with the media has stopped now which has impeded the party's official stand of reaching out to the people.
In the same letter, Gadgil has also expressed his anger that how he has been sidelined from Pune by Congress. In last Pune corporation election, his recommendations were not accepted, thus now Congress has got only 9 corporators and first time in history while BJP had established its mayor in Pune.
Further in letter, Gadgil says that he was not even informed of the press conferences of Kapil Sibal, the former minister and Randeep Singh Surjewala, the national spokesperson, that were held early this year.
He said that survival in the party is difficult if "high handedness" of certain individuals continues.