I was Congressman, got elected as Independent: Satyajeet Tambe

Opening up for the first time, Satyajeet Tambe made it clear that he was a Congressman but it was circumstances that led to him getting elected as an Independent legislator even as he raised serious issues vis-a-vis functioning of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee.

Tambe was elected as an Independent from the Nashik Division Graduates’ seat to the Maharashtra Legislative Council defeating Shubhangi Patil, the candidate of Maha Vikas Aghadi.

Tambe is the nephew of veteran Congressman Balasaheb Thorat, the Congress legislature party leader and former minister.

Tambe’s father Dr Sudhir Tambe had represented the seat for three terms - 18 years and this time the family wanted him to contest, however, he could not.

“This is my first and the last press conference on this issue,” he said on Saturday and started revealing his side of the story.

The Tambe Junior said he had expressed his desire to contest and had approached AICC’s Maharashtra in-charge HK Patil.

“You may recall that I had said that I had filed my papers as a member of the Congress, but since I could not give the AB Form, it was converted as an Independent,” he said, adding that he had received support from all quarters.

“All this seems to have been crafted out to put Thorat saheb and the family in trouble,” he said.

He said that after discussions with the Congress leadership, it was assured that they would be given a blank AB Form and the family could decide who would contest.

Accordingly, on 9 January, Tambe asked for the AB Form. “I was asked to collect from Nagpur on 10 January and accordingly my person reached there and he was asked to wait for 10 hours. Thereafter, he was given the form in a sealed cover. On 11 January, after he reached and when the packet was opened I found two blank AB Forms - one for Nagpur and another for Aurangabad, these were signed by MPCC President Nana Patole,” he said.

In the meanwhile, the name of his father Dr Tambe was declared as a candidate. “Why only his name was announced…why the names of other Congress candidates were not announced similarly,” he said.

However, on 12 January, the AB Form for Nashik was sent to the Tambes. “It was in my father’s name and marked as ‘nil’ in the substitute candidate,” he said, adding that he filed the papers as a Congress candidate but had to contest as an Independent. “Who is responsible for the mess,” he wanted to know.

Patole, when asked about Tambe’s charge, refused to comment.

It may be mentioned, earlier Tambe Senior was suspended by the AICC pending an inquiry while Tambe Junior was expelled by the MPCC for six years.

In the meanwhile, a section of Congress as well as NCP leadership have urged the Congress high-command to revoke his suspension.