Factionalism flares up in Mumbai Congress unit as new head Varsha Gaikwad ruffles some leaders

The appointment of Dharavi MLA, Varsha Gaikwad, as the new president of the Mumbai Congress has triggered a fresh wave of internal conflict within the Maharashtra Congress, which is already battling factionalism.

The appointment of Dharavi MLA, Varsha Gaikwad, as the new president of the Mumbai Congress has triggered a fresh wave of internal conflict within the Maharashtra Congress, which is already battling factionalism.

Following Ms. Gaikwad’s appointment, certain office-bearers from the previous administration had expressed unease with the new power equation as she apparently intended to remove their nameplates at the regional office and had tried to curtail their authority. She purportedly stated that her appointment marked the dissolution of the previous executive committee led by Bhai Jagtap, with new members set to be announced in due course.

Mumbai Congress leaders wasted no time in reaching out to their national president Mallikarjun Kharge to seek his intervention, who in turn contacted Ms. Gaikwad to discuss the situation and asked her to prioritise unity and inclusiveness within the Mumbai Congress ahead of crucial civic polls and the next year’s Parliament and Assembly elections.

Ms. Gaikwad vehemently refuted the accusations levelled against her and told The Hindu that she was working in collaboration with all members to build a united front within the Mumbai Congress.

“I didn’t try to remove the nameplates or curtail any leader’s powers in the party. Everybody is working together to strengthen the party. These are mere allegations by some leaders,” she said.

When asked about Mr. Kharge’s phone call to her over allegations of internal discord and power struggles, Ms. Gaikwad, the first woman chief of the Mumbai Congress, said that she had not received any call from the party president. “In fact, I called Mr. Kharge after the announcement of my name to thank him, and that was the last conversation I had with him. In a day or two, I’m planning to visit Delhi and will seek his appointment,” Ms. Gaikwad said.

However, the charges are not mere speculations, as other senior Congress leaders told The Hindu that the new president had the misconception that her appointment marked the dissolution of the previous committee.