Congress will emerge number one party in Maharashtra, says Nana Patole

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 13 (ANI): Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Tuesday said that his party will emerge as the number one in the state, maintaining that everything is fine in the alliance.
"People will see, Congress in Maharashtra will become the number one party in the state. Many people are miffed over the party's growing influence over the state," said Patole amidst reports of the growing rift between Maharashtra's ruling alliance "Maha Vikas Aghadi".
He not only attacked the opposition BJP but also accused partners in Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.
He had alleged that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government is keeping an eye on his activities. Patole also claimed that MVA allies Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) feel their ground is slipping from beneath their feet due to Congress' growing influence in Maharashtra.
He further said that the people of the country are supporting the Congress in their fight against the BJP-led Central Government against inflation and fuel price hike. He also predicted that the BJP shall not come to power in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.
"We have been taking various issues of the common people since last few days. People are supporting us in our fight against the Centre over inflation and rising fuel prices. BJP will face the consequence of this in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections too. People will uproot BJP," Patole added.
He further said, "Many People in the state especially BJP are not happy with Congress' progress. They are targeting us using various mediums. My recent statement was also wrongly presented."
Speaking at a meeting of party workers on July 10, the Maharashtra Congress chief had said, "A few days back, I raised the issue of my phone tapping in Assembly. The investigation has been ordered. They are not letting me live happily, they would not let me live happily. They have the home ministry with them, they have chief minister post as well."
"Report on my activities (from phone tapping) goes directly to CM Uddhav Thackeray and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. Now I am here, this report will go to the CM and the Home Minister at 9 am in morning. They get a report every morning as to where all meetings are happening where protests are taking place, they have all the information," he said.
Without naming any of MVA allies, Patole said some people are stabbing them in the back.
"When I became state congress president and I went to Delhi, I met Sonia Gandhi she told me Maharashtra belongs to Congress you have to bring it back," he said.
"The ground beneath their feet is slipping as the Congress is resurrecting itself. They will do all this, they will try to put us in a cage somewhere. We are also in alliance with Maha Vikas Aghadi government but some people are stabbing us in the back," he added.
The Maharashtra government has constituted a three-member committee headed by DGP Maharashtra to inquire into allegations of phone tapping by Congress leader Nana Patole.
The committee set up on Friday and headed by Director General of Police Sanjay Pandey has been asked to investigate the matter and submit its report within three months.
Patole had earlier alleged that phones of several politicians and bureaucrats were tapped between 2014-2019 during the BJP-led government in the state. (ANI)
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