Nagpur, Jan 14 (PTI) Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Tuesday said his party does not feel the need to reply to Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut’s statements as “Raut is not an issue for us”.
He was reacting to Raut’s remark that the Sena (UBT) planned to contest local body elections in the state on its own, instead of in alliance with its Maha Vikas Aghadi partners.
Though the Uddhav Thackeray-led party and Congress are allies and contested the last year’s assembly elections together, Raut and Patole have often taken swipes at each other.
“Sanjay Raut is not an issue for us, and we do not have to say anything on what he said. An important issue today is that our borders are not safe and China has intruded on many parts of our border. Democracy in the country is in danger, farmers and the youth are suffering due to the wrong policies of the government. Inflation is rising and the rupee is falling. All these issues are important to Congress, and we cannot just react to anyone’s statement. The country comes first and then other things,” said the Congress leader.
He also expressed a doubt as to whether local body elections will take place in the state in the near future.
Elections to several municipal corporations and other civic bodies in the state including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) are pending for more than two years now.
To a question about speculation that senior leader Prithviraj Chavan could replace him as state Congress chief, Patole said he did not have any information about this.
He and other Congress leaders will be visiting Delhi on Wednesday where the decision will be made, he added.
Patole also expressed confidence that the party will win the assembly elections in Delhi. PTI CLS KRK
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