Bickerings in Mumbai Cong, Kamat attacks Nirupam

Divisions in Mumbai Congress unit ahead of city polls came to the fore on Monday with senior leader Gurudas Kamat accusing the party's city chief Sanjay Nirupam and AICC general secretary Mohan Prakash of "driving out" party workers, and urged Rahul Gandhi to restrain the duo.

"Sad to see second generation Congressmen forced to leave the party due to Nirupam and Mohan Prakash's behaviour. Rahul Gandhi and Ahmed Patel must stop the bleed," Kamat tweeted.

Kamat, an AICC general secretary and incharge of Rajasthan and Gujarat, also tagged Gandhi and Patel in his tweets.

He alleged that there seemed to be a "deliberate attempt" by Nirupam and Prakash, in charge of Maharashtra, to drive people out of the party at a time when Rahul Gandhi is busy with elections in UP and other states.

"Ex-MLA Krishna Hegde quits Congress to join the BJP.

No attempt to stop him or others who left from Nirupam's own constituency North Mumbai," he said, referring to another former MLA Ramesh Thakur who joined BJP recently.

Last week, Kamat had told his supporters that he was withdrawing from the campaign for Mumbai civic poll due to the negative attitude of Nirupam.

When contacted Nirupam said he has organised a meeting of senior leaders, district presidents, ex-MPs and ex-MLAs, legislators on January 25 with Hooda. "Hooda is coming as an AICC observer which is a norm before every election. He will hold series of meetings and take stock of the political situation," Nirupam said.