Congress appoints 5 new state unit chiefs; Ashok Chavan, Maken to take charge

New Delhi: In a major reshuffle ahead of possible elevation of Rahul Gandhi as party president at the AICC session next month, Congress today appointed five new PCC chiefs and one regional Congress Committee President. The reshuffle had a clear imprint of Rahul Gandhi in handing over Ajay Maken the state leadership in Delhi, Ashok Chavan in Maharashtra, Ghulam Ahmed Mir in Jammu and Kashmir Bharatsinh Solanki in Gujarat and Uttam Reddy in Telangana. AICC secretary Sanjay Nirupam has been made the chief of Mumbai Regional Congress Committee. The changes in the states were due for long and Rahul was particularly keen to have new PCC chiefs in these states. Indications had it that he had to push hard for changes in Gujarat and Maharashtra. [caption id=“attachment_2130043” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Congress Party Flags. Photo by AFP[/caption] The changes come at a time when Rahul Gandhi’s two-week sabbatical, in the midst of the crucial Budget session, is nearing an end. Party sources said that Rahul will be back soon. “Congress President Sonia Gandhi has appointed five new Pradesh Congress Committee Presidents and one Regional Congress Committee President,” party general secretary Organization Janardan Dwivedi said giving the names in an AICC release. In addition, Mallu Bhati Virkamarka, an MLA has been appointed as Working President for Telangana. The new Telangana PCC chief Reddy replaces incumbent state chief Ponnala Lakshmaiah, who was appointed only in March last year. Reddy was then made Working President. Chavan replaces Manikrao Thakre, Ghulam Ahmed Mir replaces Saifuddin Soz in Jammu and Kashmir. Bharatsinh Solanki, who replaced Arjun Modhwadia as PCC Chief in Gujarat, is a former Union minister and son of former chief minister Madhavsinh Solanki. This is his second stint as PCC chief. He had held the post five years ago. PTI