Nana Patole

He took a dig at the state's ruling alliance, hinting that Congress would welcome both NCP chief Pawar as well as Shiv Sena president Shinde if tensions with Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis intensify.

It is wrong to label them as urban Naxals. You said these organisations directly or indirectly work for Naxals. I request you to provide me the list of such organisations and those heading them,' Patole said in his letter to Fadnavis

This election saw 13 candidates contesting for the seat, with a notable face-off between Nana Patole of the Congress and Avinash Brahmankar of the BJP. The polls were held in a single phase on November 20, with a voter turnout of 68%, slightly lower than the 72% recorded in 2019.

The party will give a message of change to defeat the BJP at the Centre, he said.

Targeting the ruling Shiv Sena-BJP combine, he said it was unfortunate that discussions are on about who will be the chief minister when the state is facing challenges including the death of several patients at various government hospitals and other issues.

Congress leader did not give the dates for Rahul Gandhi's next Bharat Jodo march, saying its schedule will be announced later.

Patole, however, said he was not aware of any such move by Thorat and claimed that his predecessor doesn't speak with us, while the BJP said its doors are open if the Congress leader wishes to switch sides.

Congress sources said though the party was not mulling immediate action against the errant legislators, they may be kept away from key party assignments in the future.

Talking to reporters, Nana Patole said Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar had tweeted about fuel price rise during the previous UPA government, but are now silent on the issue.

Patole, the MLA from Sakoli in Bhandara district, is likely to replace revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat as state Congress president soon, according to party sources.

Former BJP MP Nana Patole, who later joined the Congress and defeated the saffron party candidate from Sakoli in the assembly polls, said the Congress had tied up with Shiv Sena after the latter had left the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to join the United Progressive Alliance (UPA).

Nana Patole, who won the 2014 Lok Sabha poll from Bhandara-Gondiya on a BJP ticket, fell out with the party and resigned from the Lok Sabha and the BJP in December last year.