Amid an atmosphere of political suspense in Maharashtra, a hoarding proclaiming Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole as CM has gone viral in Nagpur. The hoardings were installed to mark Patole’s birthday on June 5. The move is being perceived as an attempt by the state Congress chief to position himself as one of the contenders for the top post in the state. Patole, however, clarified that this was an act of some exuberant party workers and he would ask them not to repeat this. “Hoardings were put up by some enthusiastic workers. Our stand is clear, Assembly elections are far-off and there is no need to put up such hoardings. I urge all my workers not to install such hoardings,” he said.
The development came against the backdrop of a silent war in the NCP when former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and state NCP chief Jayant Patil were seen positioning themselves as the future CM. The poster war started when Patil’s supporters erected several hoardings in Mumbai declaring him as the future CM. The hoardings were also installed outside NCP headquarters at Ballard Pier in the city. Days later, Ajit Pawar’s supporters put up hoarding terming him as the future CM. Meanwhile, though Patole tried to play down the move, it did not go down well among the allies as Ajit Pawar took a dig at the former and said that one cannot become CM by putting up hoardings. “Many times, I have explained to my workers that no one can become CM by erecting hoardings. One is required to have the magic figure of 145 MLAs,” he said.Another NCP leader and former minister Chhagan Bhujbal also quipped that such action backfires for the person who is being projected at the CM by their supporters, “As others start making attempts to pull him down.”Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP and spokesperson Sanjay Raut reminded that similar hoardings were installed for party leader and Thackeray’s son Aaditya Thackeray and also said that party workers do such things on their own. “Ajit Dada and Nana Patole are senior leaders of the state. The leaders don’t ask to install such hoardings, it is being done by overenthusiastic workers,” he said.