Organisational role likely for Kamat in civic polls

Sources said Kamat had played a vital organisational role during the 2007 BMC elections when he was the president of the Mumbai Regional Congress Committee (MRCC). They said he had attempted to negotiate a pre-poll alliance with the NCP but did not succeed. Kamat had later accused the NCP of deliberately scuttling the negotiations to indirectly help the Sena,which ultimately retained power in the civic body. He had also taken on Sena chief Bal Thackeray during the poll campaign.

“There are elections to municipal corporations and zilla parishads across the state and we are not sure of a pre-poll alliance with the NCP,” a senior Congress leader said,“He (Kamat) may be asked to play a crucial role considering his experience and loyalty towards the party. and he is free for organisational work after quitting the Cabinet. he has already started interacting ward-wise with people in his constituency.”

A five-time Lok Sabha MP,Kamat was the MRCC president from 2003 to 2008,which he quit after completing the term. Minister of State for Home in the UPA Cabinet,Kamat had resigned when he was given independent charge of water supply and sanitation. Sources said he was miffed by the induction of MP Milind Deora,son of Kamat’s bete noire Murli Deora,as a minister of state.

They said the detractors of MRCC president Kripashankar Singh have sought his removal after he came under a cloud for his alleged role in Madhu Koda scam and Kamat could be assigned the poll manager’s role. The Deora camp maintained that the party would prefer a leader who could take all groups along and inspire solidarity in the organisation.