Congress reaches out to Balasaheb Thorat

The Congress high command on Sunday reached out to senior leader Balasaheb Thorat and ruled out his resignation from the post of Leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in Maharashtra.

Party's Maharashtra in-charge H K Patil, who flew to Mumbai to hold deliberations with the leadership of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) and Mumbai Regional Congress Committee (MRCC), visited Thorat at his residence, where he is recuperating after shoulder surgery.

Thorat has agreed to attend the Plenary Session of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in Raipur later this month.

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Talking to reporters, Patil said after the Maharashtra developments, he had briefed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and AICC general secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal.

A few days ago, Thorat resigned as CLP leader due to differences with MPCC president Nana Patole and in the backdrop of the election to the Nashik Division Graduates’ of the Council, in which his nephew Satyajeet Tambe was denied a ticket, forcing him to contest the election against Maha Vikas Aghadi candidate Shubhangi Patil and win the seat represented by his father, Dr Sudhir Tambe, three times.

On being asked about the rift, Patil said: “It is a family matter, it would be sorted out.”

He said Thorat is a very senior leader, and he will attend the Raipur session. “During the session, he will also have a meeting with Kharge,” he said.

On being asked about the status of Thorat’s resignation as CLP leader and whether he has taken back, he said: “There is no question of his resignation…that does not arise…there are some misunderstandings that would be sorted out… there is no damage… things would improve.”

When queried on the issue involving the Tambes, he said: “It was not the subject matter (of discussion)”.

Thorat, when asked about his resignation, avoided a direct answer. “I have not spoken on this issue…this is a (Congress) family matter…I would be meeting Kharge saheb during the AICC session,” he said.