Amid Congress vs Congress In Maharashtra, BJP Says Doors Open For All

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Maharashtra president Chandrashekhar Bawankule today said that the Congress needs to introspect if the reports of senior leader Balasaheb Thorat stepping down as Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader are true.

"The Congress needs to introspect if the reports claiming the resignation of Congress' senior leader, who has won the Vidhan Sabha elections multiple times, are true. I said this during the Bharat Jodo Yatra as well, that the party is 'drowning' and nobody wants to stay there. Be it any party worker or any leader, many people are leaving the Congress to join BJP," Chandrashekhar Bawankule said.

He said that the doors of the BJP are open for everyone, and asked if the party is launching Rahul Gandhi once again into Indian politics with the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

"The doors of BJP are open for everyone. Anybody can come and join BJP, but the claims that Thorat or Satyajit Tambe has been in discussion with BJP are false," Mr Bawankule said, talking to ANI.

He further said that it is the job of Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole to reach out and resolve problems, adding that they have to reach out to the party workers if they have any problems.

"In my party also, if any problem happens, I immediately reach and talk to them... I would have introspected to see why a committed leader of such stature has been unhappy. I would have paid attention to what has been the party's failure and how can it be resolved," he added.

The reports of the senior Congress leader quitting the party in Maharashtra have been making rounds since the morning, amid an ongoing tussle with state Congress chief Nana Patole, who termed it 'dirty politics' and said that he does not have time for such things.

"I have no time for all such issues. I am dedicated to taking the Congress ideology further to make it win in the public. I am not interested in such politics that people are doing. I am a farmer, a common man, who simply came to politics and learnt a lot. I have learnt a lot but will never do such dirty politics," Nana Patole said addressing media persons in Mumbai.

Meanwhile, talking to ANI over a call, Maharashtra's Congress in charge HK Patil said that he came to know about Mr Thorat's resignation through the media, and he is heading toward the national capital to brief senior leaders about the issue.

Mr Thorat wrote to the party's high command, mentioning that he cannot work with Nana Patole. This rift between the two leaders erupted after the party gave a ticket for the Nashik constituency to Sudhir Tambe. Mr Tambe is the father of newly elected MLC Satyajeet Tambe, who had contested independently and won.

On the incident, Maharashtra Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil on Monday said that Mr Thorat gave emotional support to the audience and alleged that Sangamner taluka is being attacked as if in revenge after the change of power.

"Balasaheb Thorat said that he was sad by the ongoing politics, I want to ask him why is he sad? Is it because his party lost in the Nashik MLC elections, or because he has no value in his own party (congress) now. Action will be taken against those indulging in wrong activities (Mafia and Sand Mafia)," Mr Patil said.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)