Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan criticized his former colleagues in the Maharashtra Congress for attributing blame to him regarding the allocation of key seats in the seat-sharing negotiations with their allies.
Chavan, who recently transitioned to the BJP after departing from the Congress, faulted the state Congress leaders for their perceived inadequacy in diplomacy and business acumen, which he attributed to the impasse in seat-sharing discussions.
Divergence has emerged among the Congress and its allies in the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition in Maharashtra, comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), regarding seat allocation for the impending Lok Sabha elections. While no consensus has been reached, the Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction announced its candidate for the Bhiwandi seat, and Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena faction nominated Chandrahar Patil for Sangli, much to the chagrin of the Congress.
Responding to reports implicating him in the failed negotiations, Ashok Chavan dismissed the allegations, asserting that he was being unfairly targeted by state Congress leaders due to his disassociation from the party.
"There is a lack of decisive leadership among the Maharashtra Congress leaders. They mention my name merely as a scapegoat for their discussions. They consider Chavan an easy target, assuming that criticizing him will bear no consequences. It's convenient for them to lay blame on Ashok Chavan," remarked the BJP's Rajya Sabha MP.
Chavan elaborated that during his tenure with the Congress, he adamantly opposed relinquishing the Bhiwandi seat, emphasizing that the Sangli and Hingoli seats were similarly non-negotiable. He underscored his efforts to secure these constituencies, alongside advocating for the Congress to obtain three seats in Mumbai.
"Essentially, the Maharashtra Congress lacks diplomatic skills. They exhibit a deficiency in business acumen and fail to capitalize on opportunities within their realm. Their engagement is confined to attending meetings, indulging in casual conversation, frequenting luxury hotels, and dining extravagantly. The leadership in Maharashtra Congress exhibits little interest in equitable seat distribution, resulting in internal discord," Chavan concluded.
