"Congress is united, govt trying to divert attention from real issues": Nana Patole after CLP meeting

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 15 : Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Thursday asserted that the Congress party in the state is united and alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government is "spreading rumours" to divert attention from "real issues."
Addressing the media ahead of a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party at the party's office earlier today, Nana Patole said, "Rumours are being spread that Congress MLAs are not coming for the meeting today which is not true. We have our two-day session in Lonavala from tomorrow and MLAs will be coming there."
"A few MLAs are not coming today due to personal reasons. All this is done to divert us from the real issues like farmers' death, and unemployment. All Congress MLAs are united and will stay united. I think the strategy behind the environment that is being created is such that the government itself has fallen into the trap," he added.
He further alleged that the government is trying to divert attention from farmers' issues and unemployment in the state.
"By telling lies again and again about Jarange Patil (Maratha quota activist). The way Jarange situation is prevailing today and this kind of game was played to divert that topic and the way the suicides of farmers in Maharashtra are increasing. This kind of game is being made to divert it and I feel that there is a lot of anger among the youth as well, they are being trapped again and again by assuring them of jobs, they could not stop the inflation, and the public is also worried about that. Those people have trapped him and hence by bringing such topics the government is trying to divert the questions of the public," Patole said.
He further affirmed the support from the allies of the Congress including Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray factions.
"Our Rajya Sabha candidate Chandrakant Handore will get votes from Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray factions and from our allies like Samajwadi Party, Communist Party and others, which will help our candidate to win with maximum votes," he said.
Earlier, Handore, who had lost the MLC elections after certain MLAs had reportedly cross-voted, thanked the Congress party for nominating him to the upper house.
"The Congress party has been respecting all sections of society for years. It has also helped the poor class, and it will continue to do so in the future" Handore said.
In a major setback to the Congress party in Maharashtra, former Chief Minister and senior leader Ashok Chavan resigned from the party's primary membership and joined the ruling, Bharatiya Janata Party after reported differences with the state chief Nana Patole.
Further, Ashok Chavan has been fielded by the BJP from Maharashtra for the Rajya Sabha polls, slated to be held on February 27.
The results of the elections will be announced on the same day, February 27.