Polls: Maximum City delivers minimum seats for Congress

Riven by infighting ahead of Maharashtra assembly polls, Congress on Thursday mand to win just four assembly seats out of 29 seats it contested in Mumbai, faring poorly than in 2014.

Congress candidates Aslam Sheikh, Varsha Gaikwad, and Amin Patel retained ir Malad West, Dharavi and Mumbadevi constituencies, respectively, while party minee Zeeshan Siddique wrested Bandra East seat from Shiv Sena.

Naseem Khan, a former minister, and Mumbai Congress heavyweight lost his Chandivali seat by a slender margin of 409 votes.

In 2014, Congress had won five seats in Mumbai, which has 36 assembly segments.

One of its sitting MLAs, Kalidas Kolambkar, who had won from Wadala, switched sides months ahead of October 21 elections and successfully contested from seat in Mumbai South Central as BJP minee.

Ahead of elections, Mumbai Congress saw dissension in its ranks and war of words between its leaders.

Former Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam, miffed after being overlooked in ticket distribution, stayed away from campaigning and openly attacked party leadership, earning a rebuke from central brass.

As results started pouring in on Thursday, Nirupam once again targetted party's Mumbai leadership and AICC general secretary Mallikarjun Kharge.

"Accountability needs to be fixed in party. Who finalised candidates for seats in Mumbai and what efforts were taken to get m elected,? he asked.

" need of hour is organisational reforms and party leaders need to get over ir arrogance and respect leaders who work on ground," former MP said.

He lamented that effort was made to reach out to him after he raised issues regarding party's functioning in financial capital, where Congress was once a force to reckon with.

Meanwhile, sources said if Congress high command had backed Milind Deora in 2017 when almost every leader was demanding Nirupams ouster as city unit chief, party would have done better in 2019 Lok Sabha polls and also assembly elections.

Congress drew a blank in 2019 Lok Sabha polls in Mumbai, which has half a dozen seats.

Nirupam continued his tirade against Deora as well as top Congress leadership, hurting party in city, sources said.

Deora had resigned as Mumbai Congress chief after party's debacle in Lok Sabha elections.

party's inability to rein in Nirupam and reprimand him for his public outbursts gave an impression that some in Congress were backing Nirupam, sources said.

" party w has to decide wher it will hold Nirupam and Ashok Tanwar (a dissident Haryana Congress leader) accountable for ir indiscipline.

" Hooda experiment (in Haryana) has proven that tried and tested leaders need to be empowered and t sidelined if Congress wants results," y said.

"Deora maintained dignity during personal attacks from Nirupam as he did t want to dam party's prospects during elections," sources said.