AICC tightlipped on Thakre 2nd term
The AICC is tightlipped on whether Maharashtra PCC president Manikrao Thakre will get a second term.
While his continuation will be seen as a victory of chief minister Ashok Chavan, a change at the PCC will be described as an attempt to check the chief minister in the party divided in different factions.
Mr Thakre became the PCC chief not because he was a popular leader but a section of the Congress, especially the then chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, wanted a “weak” person to head the organisation after Prabha Rau became the governor.
But the “weak” Mr Thakre switched over to Mr Chavan after realising that he can survive only on the support of the chief minister.
However, the issue of appointing a new PCC president was said to have deliberated by Congress president Sonia Gandhi at a meeting with senior party leaders here on Saturday.
She discussed the issue with senior leaders, including Union minister and AICC in-charge of the party affairs in Maharashtra A.K. Antony, the Congress president’s political secretary Ahmed Patel and a chairman of the AICC’s central election authority Oscar Fernandes.
It took place in the light of the PCC authorising Mrs Gandhi to nominate the new PCC chief. She is engaged in the process of deciding the PCC chiefs for all states following her re-election as party chief recently.
Mr Thakre is in the controversy after got caught on the video footage showing that he was speaking to former Maharashtra minister Satish Chaturvedi allegedly discussing matters relating to fund collection for the Sewagram rally.
The Opposition has attacked the Congress over the issue and demanded a judicial probe into the alleged fund collection by Maharashtra Congress leaders.
The demand was made by Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly Eknath Khadse after TV channels showed footage of two senior Congress leaders, including Mr Thakre, allegedly discussing matters relating to fund collection. But the high command is neither defending nor disowning him on this issue.
Meanwhile, in Mumbai, CM Ashok Chavan said the Congress leadership has not sought any clarification from him on the issue of alleged collection of funds for Mrs Gandhi’s public rally at Sewagram.
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