BMC Elections 2022: Congress furthers a rally for December 28, Bhai Jagtap apologises at the Supreme Court

With the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections 2022, around the corner, the Mumbai Regional Congress Committee (MRCC) cut a sorry figure on Tuesday after its president Bhai Jagtap had to issue an unconditional apology and withdraw a petition in the Bombay High Court seeking directions from the Maharashtra government to allow a rally on December 28 in the presence of Rahul Gandhi. In the aftermath of an increase in Covid-19 and Omicron variant patients in Mumbai, Jagtap declared that the event, which was set to take place on the occasion of the Congress party's 137th anniversary, had been postponed rather than cancelled.

Jagtap revealed that the party had asked the state administration for permission to organize the protest in August but had not received a response. As a result, the group approached the HC for guidance. He underlined that the government's assessment of the pandemic situation did not rule out the possibility. "The decision to postpone the demonstration was made after appropriate deliberation with the state government and senior party officials, given the surge in Omicron cases in Mumbai and the threat it poses to the state and the country."

However, the events of Tuesday have once again exposed internal divisions within the city Congress. Many people, including high command, were not pleased with Jagtap's decision to seek the court and eventually apologize. The Jagtap-led Congress resolved to rally party workers ahead of the impending Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections (BMC) in early 2022 to highlight the party's strength. Though sharing power with the Shiv Sena and the NCP in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, Jagtap has been outspoken about the Congress party going it alone in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.

Image Courtesy: https://www.mumbailive.com/