MPCC chief Pratap Bhosle resigns

MPCC chief Pratap Bhosle resigns
Express News Service

MUMBAI, MARCH 3: All India Congress Committee (AICC) on Friday asked Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) President Prataprao Bhosale to put in his papers, even as he claimed that he resigned the post on his own for personal reasons.

``There is no political pressure on me. I decided to resign on my own and no one in the organisation asked me to step down, neither I discuss my proposal with anyone. I have forwarded by resignation letter to AICC President Sonia Gandhi,'' Bhosale said.

The senior Congressman said his major achievement during 19-months in the office was the defeat of the Sena-BJP government in the Assembly elections. ``I was the only politician who had specifically stated that the Sena-BJP alliance will be defeated,'' he added.

Bhosale said his resignation will have no adverse impact on the Congress-led Democratic Front government in Maharastra. Though he declined to elaborate on his decision, he was unhappy over the manner in which the State Government was functioning. ``The new government completely ignored Bhosale for obvious political reasons. Apparently, he was not consulted by the Chief Minister while taking major political decisions,'' a Congress cabinet member said.

According to a senior Congress leader, Central Election Committee chairman R N Mirdha had communicated the party's message to Bhosale urging him to resign before the organisational elections scheduled to be held later in the month.

Meanwhile, at least three senior party leaders, Govindrao Adik, Rajya Sabha member, Prakashbapu Patil, MP from Sangli and Vilas Muttemwar, MP from Nagpur are emerging as the main contenders for the post.