Sanjay Nirupam predicts poll debacle for 'conspiracy-ridden' Congress

Former Mumbai chief of the Congress party Sanjay Nirupam is disgruntled over the party leadership ignoring his recommendation for a candidate in the upcoming state elections in Maharashtra on October 21. And a day after hinting that he might quit the party anytime soon, he said on Friday (October 4) that the Congress would lose all seats in the city barring three or four constituencies.

According to a NDTV report, Nirupam addressed a press conference on Friday, during which he said, “The way candidates have been chosen, in Mumbai, you can leave aside three or four seats. In all the rest, the Congress will lose its deposit (lose so badly that it has to forfeit its deposit money).”

He also reasserted that he will not take part in the party’s campaigning for the upcoming state elections. “Now I will see you only on October 24, the day of the results,” he was quoted as saying.

Also read | Sanjay Nirupam hints at quitting Congress, opts out of poll campaign

The veteran Congress leader also alleged that a conspiracy was hatched against Rahul Gandhi so that he fails as the Congress president, reported news agency ANI. It quoted him as saying that he will be unable to continue in the party is his voice is not heard.

Nirupam told reporters on Friday that there were people “who sat inside the AICC offices” and hatched the conspiracies against Gandhi. He further said, “Those people are today running the party. As a result, Congress is where it stands today”

Clarifying on the party leadership not paying heed to his choice of candidates, he said that he had asked the party to field a candidate of his choice from the Versova constituency and that he had a talk with those finalising the party tickets. “But, a conspiracy is taking place in Delhi where people who were working Rahul Gandhi are being thrown out,” he was quoted as saying.

Also read | After poll defeat, Milind Deora resigns as Mumbai Congress president

The only leader he named in his allegations was Mallikarjun Kharge, who is the general secretary in-charge of the state elections. He claimed that Kharge did not even speak to the potential candidates he had chosen and rejected them, as per the NDTV report.

On his future in the party, he clarified that he doesn’t want to leave Congress, but said, “If things within the party continue to be like this, then I don’t think I can be in the party for long.” The Congress leader also alleged that anti-party activities have increased and that there was a campaign against him as well, as a result of which he was stripped of his post of the city president.

It may be recalled that Sanjay Nirupam was replaced as the Mumbai city president of Congress by Milind Deora ahead of this year’s Lok Sabha elections after a section of party leaders alleged that he was working in a unilateral manner.

(With inputs from agencies)