Kamat’s loss would come as a huge blow to the Congress party, which was making attempts to rejuvenate its cadres in Mumbai ahead of municipal elections of 2017.
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There were differences reported between Kamat and Mumbai Regional Congress Committee chief Sanjay Nirupam leading to factional infighting within the party’s cut unit.
“My family has been associated with Mumbai Congress since 1965 and have worked with eminent personalities like HR Gokhale, SK Patil, Ramrao Adik, Sunil Dutt, Murli Deora, Gurudas Kamat and right upto (former Chief Minister) Narayan Rane’s election we have worked for the party”.
In a statement he sent to his supporters yesterday, he said that for several months, he felt he needed to take a backseat to enable others to get an opportunity. Party office-bearers from Kamat’s faction in the city unit complain that they were sidelined by Nirupam, leading to the widening of the rift between the warring groups. Former Uttarkhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, who was involved in a revolt against his successor Harish Rawat also left the Congress to join the BJP. I met honourable Congress President about 10 days ago and expressed a desire to resign. Subsequently I sent letters to both Soniaji and Rahulji that I would like to exit.
“Retiring from politics does not mean retiring from social work. I wish the best to theparty leadership and each one of you”, he said in the statement.
As a member of Lok Sabha for five terms, Kamath is an on-ground man and has been instrumental in helping the party build and maintain its support base in Mumbai and in some other parts of Maharashtra.
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Kamat could not be reached for comment for this article despite repeated attempts. He was in-charge of party affairs of Rajasthan, where Congress lost the assembly elections badly in 2013.
