Saamana edit indicates disquiet in alliance over Patole replacing Thorat

One thing is certain, there is substance in Pawarsview, the Sena said.Though organizational changes was an internal matterof the Congress, extra caution is required to ensure thedecision does not impact the government, it said.Two years ago, the situation was such that no leaderwas ready to take the mantle of the state Congress chief.Thorat took up the responsibility and the party got more seatsthan expected in Assembly polls, the Sena said.In a time of crisis, Thorattook up theresponsibility.

The Shiv Sena on Saturday appearedto disfavour ally Congress's decision to replace stateCongress chief Balasaheb Thorat with Nana Patole and thelatter's resignation as Maharashtra Assembly Speaker.

An editorial in the Sena mouthpiece `Saamana' alsosaid there was substance in NCP chief Sharad Pawar's reportedview that the three coalition partners will take decision onthe Speaker's post through negotiations now.

Patole resigned as Speaker earlier this week to takeover as state Congress chief even as the Budget session is tostart from March 1. The Congress shares power in the statewith the Sena and the NCP.

The Saamana editorial said the Congress had been giventhe post of Speaker for five years, and not for forcing anelection for the post midway through which should have beenavoided.

''NCP chief Sharad Pawar said the three parties willsit together and decide what is to be done about the Speaker'spost. One thing is certain, there is substance in Pawar'sview,'' the Sena said.

Though organizational changes was an internal matterof the Congress, extra caution is required to ensure thedecision does not impact the government, it said.

''Two years ago, the situation was such that no leaderwas ready to take the mantle of the state Congress chief.

Thorat took up the responsibility and the party got more seatsthan expected in Assembly polls,'' the Sena said.

''In a time of crisis, Thorattook up theresponsibility. In Nagpur the Congress won two seats in theassembly polls. If the Gandhis (apparent reference to Congresspresident Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi) had addressed somerallies, the Congress tally in Vidarbha could have increased,''it said.

In Patole, the Congress seemed to have favored a moreaggressive face, but ''excessive aggression is also not good'',the Sena said.

The editorial praised Patole as a ''straight-forwardand aggressive leader who works for farmers and labourers'',but also preferred advise that ''restraint'' was key to smoothfunctioning of the three-party government.