With resentment rife within the regional Congress units, including in Maharashtra, over the party high command’s choice of candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Wednesday said the Congress should have taken “astute and cautious steps” while choosing candidates. He said that without the Congress, Opposition parties in the country cannot move forward.
Speaking in Pune, Mr. Raut, who is one of two Sena candidates for the June 10 elections to the Upper House, said the Congress high command had been fielding outside candidates for some time now which had a demoralising effect on regional leaders and cadre.
“For many years, the Congress [high command] has been sending ‘outsiders’ [in lieu of local candidates]…The Congress in Maharashtra has a number of capable and excellent leaders. While it [choice of RS candidates] is the Congress’s internal matter, nonetheless, looking at the country’s politics at the present time, the Congress should have taken steps in an astute and cautious manner,” the Sena leader said.
