Nagpur: Congress has been pushed into damage-control mode after its candidate in the Amravati legislative council poll failed to secure even a single vote, despite the party and its Maha Vikas Aghadi allies collectively controlling more than 100 elected representatives in the region.The extraordinary outcome intensified concerns within Congress over internal sabotage, crossvoting and weakening organisational discipline, particularly in Vidarbha, where BJP has steadily expanded its dominance over the past decade.The Congress high command is yet to review the Amravati embarrassment even as it ordered a probe into the crossvoting in Nagpur MLC bypoll, where BJP candidate Dr Rajiv Potdar secured more than 100 votes above the party’s expected strength.In Amravati, however, the collapse was even more severe. Congress nominee Harshjit Deshmukh failed to open his account despite the party’s substantial presence in municipal corporations, municipal councils and nagar panchayats across the constituency.Political observers said a section of Congress-backed voters may have shifted support either to BJP candidate Pravin Pote Patil, who won the election, or to Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi candidate Nilesh Viswakarma. The voting pattern triggered speculation of coordinated crossvoting within sections of the opposition alliance.The result marked a dramatic reversal from the 2018 legislative council election, when Congress managed to secure 17 votes despite resistance within the party over the candidature.Sources in Congress said confusion prevailed after the party’s original nominee withdrew from the contest at the last moment, leaving local leaders divided over the party’s strategy. Following internal deliberations, Congress issued a whip directing its members not to vote. The result, however, indicated that several elected representatives either defied the directive or shifted allegiance during polling.The controversy deepened further after six votes were declared invalid during counting. Election officials said one ballot paper contained incorrect markings while five ballot papers were left blank, fuelling political speculation over deliberate vote manipulation and silent dissent in the Opposition camp.Senior Congressmen privately admitted poor coordination among local factions and lack of communication between district-run power centres contributed to the debacle.Former Amravati mayor Milind Chimote said the election reflected the growing influence of money and power in local authority polls. “There is no need to look at this election through a party lens. Those who have money and power are winning elections,” Congress’ Chimote said.Referring to BJP’s sweep in the MLC elections, Chimote added, “All 17 seats have gone to BJP. Six seats were won unopposed. In Amravati, at least an effort was made to ensure the election was contested and did not become another walkover.”State Congress general secretary Kishore Borkar blamed the Congress whitewash on the party’s four netas, who oversaw the election. “The quintet of Yashomati Thakur, Sunil Deshmukh, Bablu Deshmukh, Bablu Shekhavat and Vilas Ingole is responsible for the mess. They did not convene any party meeting of aspirants at the city or district level. The start was wrong and it continued till the end,” said Borkar.
