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The faction ridden Congress party in Maharashtra has maintained status quo by re-nominating incumbent Murli Deora and Hussain Dalwai for the Rajya Sabha election slated for February 7.
Both the Congress veterans filed their nomination papers today in the presence of chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and other leaders.
Incidentally, Congress President Sonia Gandhi's political advisor Ahmed Patel could not get candidature for his supporter and former Maharashtra cabinet minister Anees Ahmed.
On the other hand, former minister Rohidas Patil, who is a close confidant of chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, also missed the bus. Election of Deora and Dalwai is quite certain with the party's strength of 82 in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. Te quotient for election to the Rajya Sabha is 37.
Congress leader, who is a member of the All India Congress Committee, told Business Standard, "Loyalty and electoral arithmatics in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls played a crucial role in the renomination of Deora and Dawlai. Deora is close to Gandhi family and quite resourceful leader. Similarly, Dalwai, was renominated being a progressive leader from the minority community. Besides, Deora had got just three year tenure in the Rajya Sabha after Chavan resigned to get himself elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Council.''
Incidentally, Congress party, which is struggling to tackle the anti incumbency factor, decided not to promote division as it may have further dampened the mood especially in the rank and file. As far as Deora is concerned, who had a record to preside over the Mumbai Regional Congress Committee for over 22 years, is still a force to reckon with and it would have been quite difficult for the party to exclude him ahead of Lok Sabha polls.
Deora's son Milind, who is the minister of state of information and technology and ports, is going to be the party candidate against for the coming polls.
Furthermore, Dalwai, a former socialist, has succeeded to make sufficient inroads in the party and gain high command's faith. "It will have been quite difficult to sideline him as his tenure has been without any controversy. He has been playing a crucial role in reaching out to the muslim and minorities across the state. He was at the forefront to press for the implementation of Sachhar committee report,'' the party leader said.
Meanwhile, BJP has taken a decision to leave seat from its quota to party's ally Republican Party of India leader Ramdas Athavale. The party has not renominated incumbent Prakash Jawadekar who is spokesman. BJP, Shiv Sena, RPI and Swabhiman Sehtkari Sanghatana have formed Maha Yuti (grand alliance) in Maharashtra to defeat Congress-NCP in the Lok Sabha polls and later dislodge the 15 year rule in the state assembly elections slated for October this year.
