Just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Indian National Congress received a major jolt in western Maharashtra region as a number of senior Congress leaders openly opposed the candidature of Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president and Pune member of parliament Suresh Kalmadi. Political opponents of Kalmadi like former Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and Congress state president Manik Thakare are busy playing cards to avoid election candidature for Kalamdi as well as his supporters especially in Pune district.
A delegation of Congress leaders including members of legislative council Sharad Ranpise, Mohan Joshi and Ulhas Pawar, Congress spokesperson Anant Gadgil and member of legislative assembly Balasaheb Shivarkar met Manik Thakare in Mumbai demanding a new face for Pune city Lok Sabha seat instead of Kalmadi. The demand is considered to be crucial as Kalmadi does not enjoy support of Nationalist Congress Party leader (NCP) Ajit Pawar, a strongman in Pune and nephew of union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar.
"We have conveyed our opposition to Kalmadi to the state Congress chief, " Mohan Joshi told reporters. He said, senior leaders have jointly urged Thakare to give the candidature to anyone from Congress but not Kalmadi. In addition, Kalmadi over last few years has been at the peak of criticism in local media for his dismal performance regarding civil infrastructure and state of roads in Pune city. Congress leaders are expressing fear that the NCP might not support Kalmadi in the Lok Sabha election, which would ultimately cost Congress a seat.
Kalmadi however still has few points in his favour, which includes his close relationship with the Gandhi family. Also, the recently organised Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune have helped Kalmadi earn a better image. In addition, he hardly has an immediate competitor of his stature in Congress in Pune district and western Maharashtra region.
Pune district has four Lok Sabha constituencies, out of which, Pune city and one more seat (Pimpri-Chinchwad) would be allotted to Congress while the NCP would contest the other two seats.
NCP supremo Sharad Pawar's daughter and present Rajya Sabha MP Supriya Sule is all set to contest election from Pawar's stronghold Baramati (Pune district) while Pawar himself would contest election from the adjoining Shirur Lok Sabha seat.
In this situation, Kalmadi would have to convince NCP leaders for his candidature against his party opponents, if he wants a ticket and also win the coveted Pune Lok Sabha seat.