Nana Patole Resigns as Maharashtra Congress Chief Following Election Defeat
In the wake of the Maharashtra Assembly elections, Nana Patole has reportedly resigned as the state Congress President after his party's dismal performance in the polls.
Mumbai: In the wake of the Maharashtra Assembly elections, Nana Patole has reportedly resigned as the state Congress President after his party’s dismal performance in the polls. However, sources have confirmed that his resignation has not been accepted by the party high command, and Patole has yet to meet Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi regarding the matter.
The Congress party, part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, was handed a crushing defeat by the ruling NDA in the state elections. The NDA, led by the BJP, secured 235 seats and 49.6% of the vote share, leaving the MVA with a meager 49 seats and 35.3% of the votes. The Congress, which contested 103 seats, won only 16 seats, with Patole himself managing to secure a victory from the Sakoli constituency by the smallest of margins — just 208 votes. This win was in stark contrast to his previous victory in 2019, when he won Sakoli by a margin of nearly 8,000 votes.
Patole’s resignation comes as the party faces widespread criticism for its underwhelming performance in Maharashtra, where the BJP swept to power with 132 seats. Despite a strong opposition campaign, which included former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, the Congress and its MVA allies could not make a significant impact.
Thackeray, among others, expressed shock over the results, questioning how the NDA managed such a sweeping victory in the state, especially after the MVA’s strong showing in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Critics have also raised concerns over alleged electronic voting machine (EVM) manipulations, with some suggesting that these may have contributed to the NDA’s overwhelming victory.
While Patole’s resignation remains pending approval, the Congress Party is grappling with questions about its future direction in Maharashtra. The 288-seat Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election took place on November 20, with the NDA securing a decisive win in the single-phase poll.
The political landscape in Maharashtra remains uncertain as the opposition, led by the MVA, tries to regroup after the setback, while questions about the role of EVMs and the overall electoral process continue to be raised.
