Congress gearing up for Maharashtra assembly polls: MPCC chief Manikrao Thakre

NAGPUR: Admitting a setback in the just concluded Lok Sabha elections, the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee ( MPCC) was gearing up to face the challenge of state assembly polls with renewed vigour, a top Congress leader said here today.

"The MPCC is all set to contest the forthcoming Maharashtra assembly elections due in October and party workers have been motivated to overcome the crisis," MPCC President Manikrao Thakre said at a press conference here today.

He said that at the state level, both himself and the Maharashtra Chief Minister had taken the responsibility for the defeat and at the national level, All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Sonia Gandhi and Vice President Rahul Gandhi took responsibility for the defeat.

Admitting serious lapses in functioning, Thakre said that after ruling the state for 15 years, the party is evolving new strategies to fight the polls.

Talking about the issue of local body tax, Thakre said that both Congress and NCP have told the Maharashtra Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister to review the decision, which has caused tremendous resentment among traders in Maharashtra.