Maharashtra: Prakash Awade, Kolhapur Congress chief, may quit party

Awade is the son of former MP Kallapa Awade and the chairman of the Jawahar Shetkari Cooperative Sugar Mill. He had taken over as district party president in January this year.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Awade said his supporters and workers had pressed him not to leave the grand old party. Asked if he had got feelers from other parties, he replied in the negative. Sources close to him said Awade “was the victim of intense infighting” in the party.

Ichalkaranji, the Vidhan Sabha seat which Awade had once represented, elected BJP’ Suresh Halwankar in 2014. “We will take a decision about who to go with in the days to come,” Awade said.