While the Congress remains clueless about its existence in Maval, Shirur and Pimpri-Chinchwad, the Nationalist Congress Party -- which suffered humilating defeats in the two Lok Sabha constituencies -- too is still finding it difficult to come to terms with the loss of two crucial seats. Even a month after the LS results, the NCP continues to wallow in a state of shock with no party leader mustering up courage to face the people and put things into perspective.

Adding to NCP's turmoil is the fact that the internal dissension, which was very much visible before distribution of tickets for Lok Sabha seats, seems to have further sharpened. Leaders like Azam Pansare, who was outplayed in Maval constituency, Vilas Lande, who was thrashed in Shirur constituency and MLC Laxman Jagtap, who failed to get nomination despite his apparent all-out efforts, still don't see eye to eye.

Lande, who was going around the town with a big smile during elections, is hardly seen smiling these days. Jagtap, who had organised one of the biggest birthday parties the town had ever seen by a politician, is maintaining a studied silence. And Pansare simply seems to have disappeared from Pimpri-Chinchwad's social and political life. Pansare, city unit president who is expected to lead the party during PCMC general body meetings and decide civic policies, has remained away from last three meetings. He did not even attend the inauguration of the new general body meeting hall of the PCMC last week where Ajit Pawar, NCP boss in Pimpri-Chinchwad, was present.

... contd.