Sudhakar Naik at centre of Congress storm

Congress general secretary Madhavrao Scindia has submitted an adverse report against former Maharashtra chief minister Sudhakar Naik who was reported to have expressed his desire to join the Shiv Sena on Monday.

According to All India Congress Committee office-bearers, Scindia said Naik's loyalty to the Congress was in doubt as he had been in touch with Sena leaders for quite some time. After meeting Sena supremo Bal Thackeray last week, Naik reportedly briefed senior party leader S B Chavan about his intention to join that party.

However, Naik denied reports that he was joining the Sena.

Speaking to Rediff On The NeT in Bombay, he said, "I had a meeting with Thackeray, but never did we discuss politics. We only had a friendly chat; nothing else was discussed."

Naik said he had full faith in Congress president Sitaram Kesri's leadership and there is "no question of his leaving the Congress. "My family has been associated with the Congress before Independence; why then should I join Shiv-Sena, BJP or any other party?" he asked.

A rival of Congress Parliamentary Party leader Sharad Pawar, Naik was defeated in the last Lok Sabha election from the Washim constituency in Maharashtra by the Shiv Sena's Gundalikrao Gawli. He had blamed infighting in the Congress for his defeat.

A national daily had quoted Naik stating that he was disappointed with Kesri for not appointing him a Congress general secretary and that is why he was joining the Sena. Naik's decision to quit had apparently taken Congressmen by surprise and they feared his exit would lead to an exodus of Congressmen to the Sena.

Earlier, Suresh Jain and Balakrishna Vikhe-Patil of the Congress joined the Sena and were rewarded with ministries.

But Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee President Ranjit Deshmukh clarified that Naik had submitted no letter to the party. "Even if he submits a letter, we will persuade him to reconsider his decision," Deshmukh said.

Scindia said Naik was only interested in looking after his personal interests.

''He had not taken any initiative to strengthen the party's Maharashtra unit ever since Sitaram Kesri took over as Congress president.''

Interestingly, former Union home minister S B Chavan told journalists in Bombay on Tuesday evening that Naik had indeed told him that he wanted to leave the party.

"I persuaded him not to do so," Chavan said, adding, "My inference is that he is frustrated since the new Congress president, Sitaram Kesri, has not given him enough importance..."

Naik was sidelined since he was close to former prime minister P V Narasimha Rao. A piqued Naik did not attend the AICC session in Calcutta last month.