“Flamboyant Modi-Shah team, RSS and active BJP played their roles with clinical perfection,” said the Chief Minister while addressing Vidarbha Division Workers’ Conference in Nagpur on Monday
Nagpur News.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on Monday frankly and candidly accepted that apart from use of sophisticated technology and social media, BJP had managed booth-level task skillfully and intelligently to emerge victorious in Lok Sabha elections. “Flamboyant Modi-Shah team, RSS and active BJP played their roles with clinical perfection,” said the Chief Minister.
Chavan was addressing Vidarbha Division Workers’ Conference organized by Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee as chief guest. The conference was held at Vasantrao Deshpande Hall, Civil Lines, Nagpur.
The Chief Minister further said that Congress abysmally failed to propagate and market its achievements during party’s two terms at Centre. Therefore, party has decided to hold booth-level meetings at every booth on August 20 after deep study, churning and review of Lok Sabha defeat. Loyal workers will be selected for every Booth Committee. Every Booth Committee is priority but always gets neglected. For the Assembly elections, lists of all Congress units of all constituencies will be sought and before finalizing the candidates, suggestions and opinions from these units will solicited, said Chavan.
Chavan further said that in every election, strategies of Ruling Party and Opposition are different in different situations. “Congress workers will have to strive and reach the achievements during Congress rule both at State and Centre to the doors of voters. Similarly, it will be the responsibility of party workers to create conducive atmosphere on the lines of 1978. This Assembly election holds importance and if the party comes to power for the next five years with the help of hardworking workers, the face of Maharashtra will be changed.,All demands of Vidarbha will be met and there will be scope for grumbling,” roared the Chief Minister.
MPCC President Manikrao Thakre, dwelling on the seat-sharing formula, said the Congress partner is demanding 144 seats and the party is insisting the NCP to fight the same number of seats as per last elections. “There is no specific reason to accept NCP demand of more seats. But I promise Congress will not lose a single seat in Vidarbha it had won in the last elections. There is good chance that party will increase its tally in Vidarbha. In view of NCP pressure for more seats, Congress is preparing for all 288 seats including the seats of Republican Parties. Candidates for the Assembly elections will be finalized by August 16-17 and youth and women will be given preference. Aspirants need not make rounds of Mumbai, instead they should start campaigning in their constituencies in right earnest,” said Thakre.
Congress General Secretary Mukul Wasnik said that there is no need to be worried over Lok Sabha results. Whatever percentage the party got in Lok Sabha election, it was due to party workers. “It is very unfortunate that there was neither communication between Chief Minister and Ministers nor Ministers and MLAs nor MLAs and workers. The need of the hour is correct the wrong. What is status of those who are talking absurd against Sonia and Rahul? Congress ruled for 60 years but could not amass money. On the other hand, BJP is in power in Gujarat for 12 years and amassed so much money that the party bore publicity expenses in Lok Sabha elections on its own. Now, need of the hour is to bring the workers in the forefront. The workers feel ditched. Congress should prepare itself for contesting in all 288 seats if there is doubt of NCP backstabbing,” said Wasnik.
Addressing the conference, member of AICC Vilas Muttemwar said that the status of Congress workers in Vidarbha is different. “My political career is clean and despite my rival being charged of corruption, I lost the election by huge margin. Many Congressmen themselves desired “former” word in my name. And they succeeded by helping the rival win the election. But what they have got their such actions? Now they don’t have the face to meet me in public. I wish no same fate to Mumbaikars (Congress rivals contesting Assembly elections),” said Muttemwar. He came down heavily on Datta Meghe, Deotale and others who joined BJP after Lok Sabha elections. “These leaders should introspect themselves,” stated Muttemwar.
Muttemwar further said, “Myself and Satish Chaurvedi are “antique pieces” in Vidarbha Congress. I have won elections 6 times and Satish 5 times. Had Satish been ‘good’ he would have been called six time winner, too. The MPCC President and Chief Minister should bring elective merit tradition and not repeat the old mistakes. BJP is now repenting after accepting Datta Meghe. There is no remedy to the alluring dreams of Modi-Gadkari. If Gadkari wished he can bring the sea to Nagpur and then sail the boats, said Muttemwar sarcastically.
Others who addressed the conference include Laxmanrao Tayade, Vasudhatai Deshmukh, Basir Patel, Babanrao Chaudhari, Haribhau Rathod, Shyam Umalkar, Sudhakar Gangane, Shivajirao Moghe, Yashomati Thakur, Vasantrao Purke, Raosaheb Shekhawat, Satish Chaturvedi, Gev Awari, Nitin Raut and others.
