Sanjay Nirupam, Mohan Prakash "driving out" partymen, tweets Gurudas Kamat

MUMBAI: Senior Congress leader Gurudas Kamat today alleged that party's Mumbai unit chief Sanjay Nirupam and AICC general secretary in-charge of Maharashtra Mohan Prakash were "deliberately driving out" partymen at a time when Rahul Gandhi is busy with Uttar Pradesh elections.

"Sad to see second generation Congressmen forced to leave the party due to Nirupam and Mohan Prakash's behaviour. Rahul Gandhi and Ahmed Patel must stop the bleed," Kamat tweeted.

Kamat, an AICC general secretary and incharge of Rajasthan and Gujarat also tagged Ahmed Patel and Rahul Gandhi in his tweets.

He alleged that this seemed to be a deliberate attempt by Nirupam and Prakash to drive people out of the party at a time when Rahul Gandhi is busy with UP and other elections.

"Ex-MLA Krishna Hegde quits Congress to join the BJP. No attempt to stop him or others who left from Nirupam's own constituency North Mumbai," he said in his tweet referring to another former MLA Ramesh Thakur who joined BJP recently.

Kamat further tweeted that Rahul Gandhi had informed him that he has deputed former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda to resolve matters in Mumbai Congress and the latter will be meeting all (partymen) on January 25.

Last week, Kamat had told his supporters that he was withdrawing from the campaign for Mumbai civic poll due to the negative attitude of Nirupam.

When contacted Nirupam told PTI he has organised a meeting of senior leaders, district presidents, ex-MPs and ex-MLAs, legislators on January 25 with Hooda.

"Hooda is coming as an AICC observer which is a norm before every election. He will hold series of meetings and take stock of the political situation," Nirupam said.

He refrained from commenting on Kamat's criticism about his style of functioning.

"We are focussed on dislogding the Sena-BJP from the Mumbai civic body which is under their rule for more than two decades. I am busy highlighting their misrule and don't want to lose my focus," said Nirupam.