Pune:
Unruly scenes marked the process for election of Pune District Congress president as workers belonging to rival factions came to blows, beating up former MLA Sambhaji Kunjir in the melee on Tuesday.
Sambhajirao Kunjir was kicked, punched and hit on the head with a plastic chair by rival faction members at the Congress Bhavan in Pune.
The party meeting held unanimously re-elected Devidas Bhansali for the post even as senior Congressman Anantrao Thopte, who heads the state disciplinary committee, told reporters that an inquiry would be conducted into the incident that led to the scuffle during the poll process.
Kunjir, allegedly assaulted in the meeting by workers belonging to the Sanjay Jagtap faction from Purandar taluka said the attack on him was pre-planned and those involved in it were "goondas".
In an official briefing after the meet, Thopte told reporters that Kunjir was not a voter in the election although he was present during the process.
"We had no idea that such an incident would happen as previous elections had been held peacefully. The unseemly episode will be probed," he said.
Bhansali said according to the election rules, only those who are voting members of the district committee are allowed to attend the electoral process, and stated that Kunjir was not one of them.
He said presence of "some people" at the meet was not valid and it resulted in unruly scenes. Bhansali denied that "goondas" were brought in to beat up Kunjir and described the incident as unfortunate.
Bhansali said he would take into confidence all elements in the district unit and try to undo any perceived injustice while functioning as the President.