MUMBAI: Maharashtra Congress in-charge Ramesh Chennithala on Tuesday, strongly reacted to former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan's resignation from the party, saying that cowards who are afraid of central agencies are leaving the party and the battlefield. He asserted that the party will continue to fight the ideological battle whatever may come.
Chennithala also called a meeting of prominent leaders of the party to reassure them and give confidence. He stressed that Ashok Chavan will be the last to leave the party.
"The Congress party gave him everything, made him the chief minister twice and few month ago, he was also appointed as member of Congress working committee. He was part of every decision making process, so we are clueless about why he left. He should have explained the reason. He should explain what injustice the Congress party has done to him. Or did he get scared of ED, CBI and leave? He should answer all these questions," Chennithala said.
"We had a discussion with senior leaders today. Ashok Chavan's resignation will not weaken the party at all. The party works according to its ideology. The people will not accept those who leave. Congress will work more vigorously and win the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections as well," he added.
He said, BJP had levelled allegations of corruption against Ashok Chavan.
"Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi had accused him in the Adarsh scam, and today he has joined BJP. Similar allegations pertaining to a Rs 70,000 crore irrigation scam was made against Ajit Pawar by Modi but later he was also taken into their fold. Is meeting Modi and Shah enough to cleanse the stains of corruption? BJP is working as a washing machine for opposition leaders against whom they had made serious corruption allegations," he added.
Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole said that the Congress party has always given big opportunities to Ashok Chavan. He pointed out that Congress had always given Chavan a chance to lead the party.
"But in BJP, he has to sit in the back row," Patole said.
"Devendra Fadnavis is in trouble as his own survey shows that BJP will not perform well in Maharashtra despite all their efforts. So they are trying to save their reputation and that of the party by breaking other parties and poaching their leaders. Nanded is the stronghold of Congress and the party will win the Nanded Lok Sabha seat as well," he added.