Mumbai Congress' Arun Sawant quits party post due to 'infighting' a day after rejig

Infighting in Congress has arisen in Mumbai too with Congress spokesperson Arun Vasantrao Sawant resigned from his post on Monday, claiming 'factionalism and infighting'. In his letter addressed to the Mumbai Congress chief Bhai Jagtap, he claimed that disappointment with the factionalism and infighting had led to his resignation from his post which he has held for six years. Incidentally, Congress had rejigged its Mumbai unit, appointing new officers.

Mumbai Congress spokesperson resigns

On Sunday, Congress appointed six vice-presidents, 15 vice-presidents, 42 general secretaries and 22 secretaries to its Mumbai unit. With Sawant not receiving any elevation in the party, his exit seems to be due to dissatisfaction over missing out on the post. Actress Nagma Morarji, who has been appointed at VC thanked Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi for the opportunity. Recently, Bhai Jagtap took over as the Mumbai unit chief and Nana Patole as Maharashtra Congress chief, as Congress seeks to be a more 'aggressive partner' in the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance. Congress also eyes to contest solo in the BMC polls, inspite of CM Uddhav Thackeray saying that Sena, NCP and Congress will battle the BJP jointly to retain the BMC.

Cong vs Cong

Since Maharashtra govt's cabinet expansion in January 2020, discontent in the Congress party surfaced between Maharashtra cabinet minister Ashok Chavan and Balasaheb Thorat with both senior leaders reportedly demanding the Revenue and PWD portfolio. Moreover, other Congress leaders like Nitin Raut and Vijay Wadettiwar too had demanded the PWD ministry. While Thorat and Chavan were allotted the Revenue ministry and the PWD ministry respectively, Raut, Wadettiwar and Sunil Kedar were among 10 ministers of the Congress who found a place in the new government. 

However, the choice of certain leaders is ministers and portfolio allocation seems to have not gone down well with a section of Maharashtra Congress. Moreover, Congress Mumbai Congress General Secretary Vishwabandhu Rai has written a letter to interim president Sonia Gandhi stating that the party is being sidelined in the state government and the NCP is "weakening the Congress party like termites weaken wood". Recently, Congress has been miffed with Shiv Sena's comments on Sonia Gandhi's UPA chairmanship with Chavan saying, "Sena not part of UPA".

On a national level, Congress' Kerala faction has seen infighting over the candidates' selection for the Kerala polls - with veteran PC Chacko exiting the party - accusing Congress leader KC Venugopal of ignoring survey findings on winnable candidates in the state and okaying lists as per his whims. Congress list of 86 candidates saw several older leaders being dropped, indicating a 'generational shift as wanted by Rahul Gandhi', claimed state president Mullappally Ramachandran. Moreover, 23 senior Congress leaders (G-23) have sought structural changes in Congress, which has been quashed by Congress, with its party president polls to be held in June 2021.