Rahul accepts resignation of leader of opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly

NASHIK

: AICC president Rahul Gandhi has accepted the resignation of Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil as the leader of opposition (LoP) in the Maharashtra Assembly, state Congress chief Ashok Chavan said on Thursday, a day before Rahul’s election rally in Sangamner.


Speaking to TOI, Chavan said the Congress leadership took time to accept Vikhe-Patil’s resignation as various aspects were being looked into. “The party needed time to understand all issues related to his resignation and then decided to accept it,” he said.

The relationship between Vikhe-Patil and the state UPA leadership had been strained after his failed efforts to get a party ticket for his son Sujay to contest from Ahmednagar in the Lok Sabha elections. In March, Sujay joined BJP and fought the polls from the seat .

The Ahmednagar constituency had been allotted to NCP under the seat-sharing pact between the party and Congress. NCP chief Sharad Pawar had reportedly refused to allow Sujay to contest on a Congress ticket. Upset, Vikhe-Patil sent his resignation sometime after Sujay joined BJP.


Attacking the state Congress, Vikhe-Patil said the party had “surrendered” to NCP president Pawar.