Congress may hand over Vidarbha to Nana Patole

By Krishna Thevar

MUMBAI: Nana Patole, the man instrumental for the BJP losing from Bhandara-Gondia constituency, may be made in charge of Vidarbha region of the Congress. Patole, the BJP MP from the constituency before he quit last December joining the Congress, is unanimously seen as an architect of the NCP win on Thursday.

When asked about the talk in the Congress party of him being given the responsibility of leading the Congress campaign in Vidarbha region, Patole said that he was ready for the challenge if the party chooses him for it.


“I can wipe out the BJP from Vidarbha if given the opportunity. There is a lot of anger among the people over price rise, farmers’ issues, unemployment; everyone is angry with the BJP,” said Patole.

It would not be a surprise if Patole is entrusted with the Vidarbha region in the 2014 assembly polls; the BJP won 44 out of the 62 assembly constituencies in Vidarbha.

Patole travelled extensively in Bhandara-Gondia to thwart the BJP. His former party had deputed its entire Nagpur unit to campaign in the constituency from Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, everyone campaigned in the constituency.

Patole campaigned almost door-todoor and ensured that Congress ally NCP won. Congress president Rahul Gandhi called up Patole on Thursday night to congratulate him. Even NCP leader Ajit Pawar praised Patole.