Wadettiwar, Pratibha Dhanorkar end rift, easing worries of Chandrapur-Gadchiroli Congress workers

The dispute between Congress legislature party leader Vijay Wadettiwar and Chandrapur MP Pratibha Dhanorkar has ended ahead of the Legislative Council election. The development has brought great relief to party workers in Chandrapur and Gadchiroli. Supporters of Adv Abhijit Wanjari have also been relieved.

The dispute between the two leaders began during the Lok Sabha election. It peaked during the municipal corporation election earlier this year. As a result, the Congress stayed out of power in Chandrapur despite winning more seats. The two leaders continued to tussle over various posts after that.

In February, the end of the dispute was announced in Mumbai following directions from senior party leaders. On the ground, however, the situation looked different.

Now, at a party event, Wadettiwar named Pratibha Dhanorkar directly and said that all their differences and quarrels were over from today. With this, he signalled an end to the dispute between the two. Dhanorkar also said, "We have faith in Wadettiwar, and this will benefit only the party and its workers."

Factionalism and differences among Congress leaders are nothing new, and their effect is often seen in elections as well. After the Legislative Council election was announced, Wanjari faced the challenge of Chandrapur-Gadchiroli.

In most Congress districts, factionalism and differences between leaders have surfaced through various events. In many places, parallel events are also held. Since Wadettiwar and Dhanorkar have ended their dispute, leaders in other districts should also take similar initiative. A senior Congress leader expressed confidence that if differences exist and are resolved through mutual understanding, the party will be strengthened.