Pune: The Congress party is facing heightened internal tensions, particularly over the demand for a change in the city president's position.
Amid this turmoil, Avinash Salve, a former corporator from Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) faction, has switched allegiance to Congress, a move that has reportedly rattled the faction seeking the removal of Congress city president Arvind Shinde.
Salve’s entry into Congress was orchestrated without the knowledge of the Shiv Sena (UBT), raising the possibility of conflicts within the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance in Pune.
He joined Congress in the presence of state president Nana Patole, and it is rumored that Salve has been promised a ticket for the upcoming assembly elections from the Pune Cantonment constituency.
However, this development has not been welcomed by all within the party, with some leaders and workers expressing discontent, signaling a potential escalation in internal disputes.
Ramesh Bagwe’s Political Ambitions in Jeopardy?
Salve’s induction into Congress is seen as a strategic move by Arvind Shinde to undermine former Minister of State for Home, Ramesh Bagwe, who was gearing up for the Pune Cantonment Assembly seat.
In the previous Lok Sabha elections, Congress had secured a majority only from the Cantonment area, but reports suggested that local leaders considered this majority insufficient.
This sparked criticism from Nana Patole towards the Cantonment office-bearers, leading to a clash between Shinde and Bagwe.
Supporters of Bagwe had even approached party leaders in Mumbai and Delhi to demand Shinde's removal. In a calculated response, Shinde has now brought Salve into the party, further complicating Bagwe’s political plans.
