Congress workers come to blows over seat allotment

MUMBAI: As election fever rises, so does the temperature within party offices, with fissures coming out to the fore and leaders giving vent to their frustrations. In what could be a prelude to the stormy debates that the Congress is going to witness over ticket allotment for the coming assembly elections, party workers almost came to blows in its HQ in Mumbai and actually exchanged blows in a district office.

In Sangamner, in Nagar district, supporters of state agriculture minister Balasaheb Thorat bashed up the party���s
district general secretary, who is apparently loyal to multi-party veteran Balasaheb Vikhe Patil, that too in the presence of visiting party observers.

The incident occurred when it became apparent that the Vikhe Patil group may get the Congress ticket. Mr Vikhe Patil, who returned to the Congress after being a Sena minister in Atal Bihari Vajpayee���s cabinet, has considerable clout in the district. However, he is opposed by Congressman Balasaheb Thorat���s camp.

Another influential player from the district is former Congressman and current NCP vice-president Govindrao Adik. The district politics revolves around these three main factions. Mr Vikhe Patil���s son, Radhakrishna, a state minister during the Sena-BJP regime, also returned to the Congress when NDA failed to muster enough numbers in the 2004 election.

Vasant Deshmukh, the Congress��� Nagar district secretary, who was at the receiving end, has lodged a police complaint against members of the Thorat camp. He has expressed fear for his life. More shocking was the situation at the Congress HQ in Mumbai, when Congressmen went berserk while demanding the removal of the party���s Thane city unit chief. The protests were targeted against state Congress chief Manikrao Thakre. Such was the scene that party spokesperson Hussein Dalwai had to beat a hasty retreat from the office to avoid the protesters��� wrath.

With the assembly election set for October 13, India���s grand old party has come under severe pressure from party workers seeking tickets. The number of aspirants has increased this time, even though it is yet unclear whether the party will go it alone or share seats with the NCP.

Though the party has begun an exercise to prepare itself to go solo should it���s alliance with the NCP fizzles out, things appears to be going out of control even before the candidates are announced. All hell broke lose in two separate incidents that exposed serious differences within rank and file of the party.

Congress sources admit that things could go worse once a decision on the alliance is out. ���If we join hands with the NCP, the number of seats we get to contest will reduce drastically,��� a member of the Pradesh Congress committee said. ���But it���s not new. We know how to tackle and cap the dissidence,��� he added.