The Hindu : Other States / Maharashtra News : `Rebel factor will not affect Congress'

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Sunday, Oct 03, 2004

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Other States - Maharashtra

`Rebel factor will not affect Congress'

By Our Special Correspondent

MUMBAI, OCT. 2. Faced with the prospect of "rebel" candidates in numerous seats, the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee announced today that it was expelling 27 rebel candidates and replacing eight district presidents. Announcing this action, Margaret Alva, general secretary of the All-India Congress Committee who is in charge of the coming Assembly elections in the State said they had been given time till Friday to retire.

As the party had not heard from them, the action was taken. The district presidents had been replaced because the incumbents had either revolted or resigned.

She said the party expected a dozen or so rebels to retire in favour of the Congress in the next couple of days.

This would be announced when the party president, Sonia Gandhi, visits Maharashtra.

Ms. Alva said the rebel factor would not affect the party's chances. "Don't think any of the rebels can succeed in the current atmosphere."

Asked whether any of them would be readmitted if they won, she said only the party could decide that.

Scotching rumours that the former MPCC president, Ranjit Deshmukh, had stopped campaigning because the joint manifesto of the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party released on Friday did not support the creation of a separate state of Vidarbha, Ms. Alva said Mr. Deshmukh was satisfied with the clarification offered to him on the issue and that this was no longer a problem.

The Congress had stated that it stood by the resolution of the Congress Working Committee on this issue.

Ms. Alva said the party was still in talks with other like-minded parties such as the two Left parties — the CPI and the CPI (M) — as well as factions of the Republican Party of India to see if some of their candidates would withdraw "in the interests of the alliance."

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