Moze queers pitch for Kalmadi in Pune

PUNE, DEC 17: The city unit of the Congress seems to be heading for fresh turmoil on the eve of the Lok Sabha elections with a section of P...

PUNE, DEC 17: The city unit of the Congress seems to be heading for fresh turmoil on the eve of the Lok Sabha elections with a section of Pawar supporters surprising all by joining hands with All India Congress Committee spokesman V N Gadgil. To add to the confusion, Rambhau Moze, the only sitting party MLA in the city, has also made it clear that he wants to be the party nominee for the Pune seat.

The city Congress is witnessing a keen tussle between V N Gadgil and Suresh Kalmadi for the party ticket and Rambhau Moze’s claim to be “the

only candidate who can ensure the party’s victory” is just going to complicate matters more. In the past, Moze has managed to have his way, shrugging off fusillades from his critics who have never stopped gunning for him. Moze supporters, however, prefer to maintain a silence over their leader’s claim to the party ticket.

Moze had retained the Assembly seat from Bopodi segment against all odds, say the political observers, pointing out that Suresh Kalmadi had put his might behind his rival candidate Bharat Sawant while extending support to his opponents. The present move by Moze is being viewed in party circles as a retaliation.

Meanwhile, Pawar supporters led by Sharad Ranpise and Balasaheb Shivarkar, both former MLAs, have undertaken hectic efforts to muster an anti-Kalmadi lobby in the city. Known as staunch Pawar loyalists, the trio of Moze, Ranpise and Shivarkar, seem to have joined hands with Pawar’s bete-noire V N Gadgil.