Haryana effect: RaGa wants Cong leaders to be modest, says Khan

Nagpur: In the aftermath of its defeat in the Haryana polls, the Maharashtra Congress leaders have been cautioned against complacency and urged to maintain a prudent approach during the forthcoming state assembly election in Maharashtra.
Congress observer Arif Naseem Khan, who conducted interviews of 113 candidates vying for the 12 assembly seats in Nagpur city and rural areas on Tuesday, revealed that Rahul Gandhi has exhorted them to remain modest and refrain from displaying overconfidence.A total of 72 candidates have submitted their applications for the six assembly seats in Nagpur city, while 41 others have applied for the six seats in Nagpur rural.
"Our senior leader Rahul Gandhi has instructed us, the party leaders in Maharashtra, to eschew overconfidence and collaborate harmoniously in the wake of the Haryana debacle. We are approaching the impending Maharashtra assembly election with utmost gravity and diligence at the grassroots level. The MVA is striving to safeguard Maharashtra, and every issue is being tackled strategically," he informed reporters at Ravi Bhavan.
Khan, who serves as the working president of the state Congress party, asserted that a wave of support for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance will engulf the Maharashtra elections. "Factionalism will not be countenanced, and cadres will be kept enthused throughout the entire poll season."
Party insiders divulged that the incumbent candidates would be given another opportunity to contest from their respective seats, while other names would be declared shortly. Nagpur West MLA Vikas Thakre and Nagpur North MLA Nitin Raut are likely to be given another chance. The contest for the Nagpur Central seat appears intriguing, with demands for fielding a Muslim candidate from the party. Saoner seat will also witness a fresh face following the disqualification of Sunil Kedar last year.
Khan mentioned that the MVA has already concluded seat-sharing discussions on 80% of the constituencies in Maharashtra, while the remaining will also be resolved soon.
Responding to BJP's allegations, Khan stated that the saffron party had expressed its desire to secure 400 seats to modify the constitution, but it was now accusing the Congress of propagating a false narrative.
Regarding populist decisions, Khan accused the Mahayuti government of bias towards Vidarbha and Marathwada. "The decision to waive off toll has been made only for LMV in Mumbai and not in Vidarbha and Marathwada. MVA leaders accused the Shinde government of partiality but did not receive any response. The people of Maharashtra do not harbor any expectations from this corrupt government, which has been exposed multiple times. The Prime Minister inaugurated the Atal Bridge, but look at its condition. The collapse of the Chhattrapati Shivaji statue too will haunt them," he said.