Shiv Sena mocks brewing dissent in Congress over PCC chief appointments

Mumbai: Taking a dig at the brewing dissent in the Congress over appointment of Ashok Chavan and Sanjay Nirupam as respective chiefs of Maharashtra and Mumbai party units, the Shiv Sena on Wednesday said that voices of dissent against these appointments have no relevance in the Congress. Soon after the AICC appointed new PCC chiefs on Monday, senior Congress leader Narayan Rane had expressed his reservations, saying that the party high command did not consult the state leaders regarding the appointments.

"Sanjay Nirupam faced a crushing defeat in the Lok Sabha election, yet he was made the city Congress unit chief. On the other hand, (Narayan) Rane, who was defeated from the Konkan region, has been given nothing. The way Chavan-Nirupam do not have any political relevance in the state, voices of dissent against these appointments also have no relevance in the Congress," an editorial in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' said.

Referring to the allegations in connection with the Adarsh housing society scam due to which Ashok Chavan was forced to resign as the Chief Minister, the Sena alleged that the political sufferings that Chavan had to endure were the doings of his own partymen.

"(Ashok) Chavan had to step down as the CM as an after effect of the Adarsh scam. His troubles only increased when he was accused of indulging in a paid news case. All the political sufferings that he had to endure were because of his own partymen who opposed him," the Sena said.

"Chavan's opponents, who felt that he would bring disrepute to the party, didn't even want him to get a party ticket for the Lok Sabha election. All efforts were made to ensure he that does not file his nomination form. But he somehow scraped through it," the party said.

"A time will come when people will have to find a disappeared Congress from the state like people are today searching for (Congress Vice President) Rahul Gandhi," the Sena said.