Last Updated:
Party insiders argue that Kedar’s influence among the rebels, combined with his tacit endorsement of their candidacies, poses a serious challenge to the Congress’s efforts to maintain unity
While Sunil Kedar has been a prominent Congress leader in Vidarbha, the recent acts of rebellion by his loyalists have cast doubts on his leadership within the party. (PTI)
The Congress is facing fresh internal conflicts in the lead-up to the Maharashtra assembly elections — this time in the Nagpur region.
Veteran Congress leader Sunil Kedar has been accused of supporting rebel candidates against the party’s official nominees in Nagpur’s key constituencies, triggering discontent among local Congress workers. Concerned by this turn of events, Nagpur’s Congress candidates have escalated the matter to the party high command, even appealing to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel to intervene and discipline Kedar.
Kedar’s supporters have reportedly stirred up rebellion in four significant constituencies in Nagpur district. In Ramtek, former minister and Nagpur Congress district president Rajendra Mulak has filed his nomination, challenging Maha Vikas Aghadi’s official candidate Vishal Barbate. Known as a close ally of Kedar, Mulak’s candidacy was openly endorsed by Kedar himself who, along with MP Shyamsunder Barve and Rashmi Barve, attended Mulak’s nomination process.
Similarly, in Umred, Kailas Chute, who serves as the chairman of the Zilla Parishad and is also aligned with Kedar, has entered the fray against the MVA’s official Congress candidate Sanjay Meshram.
In Hingna, former Zilla Parishad chairperson and Kedar supporter Ujjwala Bodhare has filed her nomination, directly opposing NCP’s Ramesh Bang, the MVA’s designated candidate. In West Nagpur, Narendra Jichkar, a close ally of Kedar, has defied the party line to contest against Congress’ Vikas Thakre, the official candidate in this constituency.
The ongoing rebellion has sparked a wave of internal strife in Nagpur Congress. Despite having finalised official candidates through the MVA coalition, Kedar’s followers have raised the banner of revolt, undermining the party’s unity. Observers believe that such infighting, particularly in a critical district like Nagpur, could adversely affect the Grand Old Party’s chances in the upcoming elections and potentially strain the coalition dynamics within the MVA.
Following the outbreak of internal dissent, questions are emerging about the party’s leadership and its ability to manage factionalism. The decision of Kedar’s supporters to defy the official candidate list has led to concerns about the lack of cohesion in the party’s ranks. Party insiders suggest that if Kedar’s actions are left unchecked, this rift could widen, resulting in long-term damage to Congress’s organisational strength in Vidarbha.
While Kedar has been a prominent Congress leader in Vidarbha, the recent acts of rebellion by his loyalists have cast doubts on his leadership within the party. His support for rival candidates against the Congress’s official nominees has raised alarm and caused friction within the ranks. Party insiders argue that Kedar’s influence among the rebels, combined with his tacit endorsement of their candidacies, poses a serious challenge to the Congress’s efforts to maintain unity. If the Congress leadership refrains from taking corrective action, it risks sending a message of leniency towards factionalism, which could impact party discipline adversely.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Congress in-charge Ramesh Chennithala, in a press conference held in Mumbai, said Kedar “is with the party and working for it”, suggesting that there is no need for action against him.
As Congress attempts to maintain cohesion in the strategically significant Vidarbha region, it will need to navigate these internal disruptions carefully. The leadership’s next steps will be closely watched, as a decisive approach to Kedar’s conduct could prevent further fragmentation. Without intervention, however, Congress’s image and electoral performance in the region may suffer, possibly weakening the party’s footing in Maharashtra. It would be interesting to see how Congress dictates Kedar to make his loyalists withdraw their candidature and work for the official MVA candidate.
