<p>Getting into the driver's seat of a tractor, newly-appointed Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole drove to the historic August Kranti Maidan made his presence felt and hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his ‘andolan jeevi’ comment.</p>.<p>He accused Modi of being ‘<em>dhongi jeevi</em>’ – a comment that would not go down well in the saffron party. Patole (57), who hails from the OBC Kunbi community, is an ex-MP and a four-time MLA. A Congressman, he joined the BJP in 2015 and successfully contested the Lok Sabha elections from Bhandara-Gondiya.</p>.<p>However, in 2017, he was the first to raise a banner of revolt against Modi on farmers' issue and resigned and rejoined the Congress. Patole took over Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) from state Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat.</p>.<p>"People did not vote for the Modi government to sell the country's assets and destroy the country. Farmers interests need to be protected and their agriculture produce should be given a good price. Congress will not allow any of the national assets in Maharashtra to be sold," Patole, a firebrand leader from the Vidarbha region, said.</p>
<p>Getting into the driver's seat of a tractor, newly-appointed Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole drove to the historic August Kranti Maidan made his presence felt and hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his ‘andolan jeevi’ comment.</p>.<p>He accused Modi of being ‘<em>dhongi jeevi</em>’ – a comment that would not go down well in the saffron party. Patole (57), who hails from the OBC Kunbi community, is an ex-MP and a four-time MLA. A Congressman, he joined the BJP in 2015 and successfully contested the Lok Sabha elections from Bhandara-Gondiya.</p>.<p>However, in 2017, he was the first to raise a banner of revolt against Modi on farmers' issue and resigned and rejoined the Congress. Patole took over Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) from state Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat.</p>.<p>"People did not vote for the Modi government to sell the country's assets and destroy the country. Farmers interests need to be protected and their agriculture produce should be given a good price. Congress will not allow any of the national assets in Maharashtra to be sold," Patole, a firebrand leader from the Vidarbha region, said.</p>