Harshwardhan Sapkal likely to be new state Congress chief

Sapkal is not a prominent figure in Maharashtra but has been a part of the party’s organisational machinery for several years

MUMBAI: The new state Congress president is likely to be Harshwardhan Sapkal, 57, former Buldhana legislator. Considered close to leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, Sapkal will succeed Nana Patole, who resigned as Maharashtra Congress chief, owning moral responsibility for the party’s crushing defeat in the assembly elections in November last year.

Harshwardhan Sapkal likely to be new state Congress chief

The party leadership had since been looking for a replacement but, insiders say, no prominent leader wanted to step up to the plate as it would mean shouldering the humongous responsibility of rebuilding the demoralised party. Moreover, the leadership wanted to appoint a young face to lead the party in the state.

“Sapkal is likely to be the new face of the Maharashtra Congress as his is the only name under consideration by the party leadership,” said a senior Congress leader. “All 13 leaders who served as ministers in the previous MVA government, including a few young functionaries of the party, refused to take up the responsibility, which will be a daunting task,” said another Congress leader.

Among these were Vishwajeet Kadam, Yashomati Thakur and Amit Deshmukh. Former leader of the opposition, Vijay Wadettiwar, who was keen to become state president, is likely to lose out as the party leadership is keen on appointing Sapkal.

Sapkal is not a prominent figure in Maharashtra but has been a part of the party’s organisational machinery for several years. He is the national chairman of the Congress-linked Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Raj Sangathan, which works for the empowerment of local self-governments. Sapkal was also secretary, All-India Congress Committee (AICC), and has also worked for the party in states such as Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

Patole, on the other hand, may be appointed as the new leader of the Congress legislature party.