After a split in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday chaired a meeting of Maharashtra party leaders here to discuss the the political situation in the state and its effect on the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Besides Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi, party general secretary (Organisation) K.C Venugopal, Mukul Wasnik, Maharashtra in-charge H.K. Patil and state unit chief Nana Patole were also present at the meeting.
Besides, senior party leaders Sushil kumar Shinde, Ashok Chavan and Prithviraj Chavan were also among those present.
According to party leaders, Congress leaders also deliberated on the effects of the NCP split and its effect on the party's prospects in the state ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
After Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra has the maximum number of Lok Sabha seats at 48.
"The BJP has hurt the self-respect of Maharashtra by using its 'washing machine'. The Congress party will give a befitting reply to this political fraud. The people of Maharashtra will give a strong political reply to the continuous attacks on the mandate by the BJP.
"Our leaders and workers will get the people of Maharashtra back the Congress government. We always had a place in the minds of the people of Maharashtra.We will further strengthen the glorious relationship between Maharashtra and Congress," Kharge, who is also the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha tweeted after the meeting.
Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi also took to Facebook and wrote, "Today, a meeting was held with Maharashtra Congress leaders under the leadership of Congress President Kharge ji."
"Maharashtra is the bastion of the Congress party and our focus is on strengthening the Congress there and raising the voice of the people. Together we will ensure that this anti-people government is defeated," the former Lok Sabha MP said.
Following the split in Shiv Sena last year and NCP last month, the Congress has now emerged as the largest opposition party in Maharashtra and has staked claim to the post of Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly.
The meeting was convened after a faction of the NCP led by Ajit Pawar joined hands with the BJP-Eknath Shinde government in the state.
The Ajit Pawar-led camp has also approached the Election Commission to stake the claim of the party symbol and the party.
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