Nilesh Rane quits as Maharashtra Congress gen secy, accuses Ashok Chavan of 'inaction'

Mumbai: Former MP Nilesh Rane on Tuesday quit as general secretary of Maharashtra Congress, accusing party president Ashok Chavan of “inaction” in appointing district president of Ratnagiri. [caption id=“attachment_3299856” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Ashok Chavan. AFP[/caption] “Despite telling you (Ashok Chavan) that I want to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha election from my constituency, you have not appointed president for Ratnagiri district…your inaction smacks of political conspiracy,” Nilesh, a former MP from Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, said in a letter to Chavan. “If you use your position only for yourself the party will suffer more in future. If you cannot empower the ordinary party workers I have no interest to continue as the state executive committee under you as an office bearer,” he said and accused Chavan of “harbouring vested interests”. He said if proper decisions are taken, meritorious people will be associated with the party. “Otherwise Congress will not get candidates to contest even Gram Panchayat polls,” he added. In the letter, Nilesh cautioned Chavan to act before it is too late. “I want to see how much more damage you can do to Ratnagiri district,” he said, informing that he was quitting the general secretary post but would continue to be associated with Congress. Congress defeat in Ratnagiri Zilla Parishad polls was because the party had not appointed a district unit chief for the last one-and-half year, he said.