Ex-MP Nilesh Rane seeks removal of MPCC chief Ashok Chavan

MUMBAI: Former Congress MP Nilesh Rane today said MPCC chief Ashok Chavan needs to be removed from his post if the party is to stay in serious contention for power in Maharashtra in the 2019 assembly polls.

"Chavan needs to be replaced with a more capable leader who can lead the party workers in the run up to the 2019 assembly polls," Nilesh told PTI.

The 36-year-old Congressman said he had written to the central leadership seeking removal of Chavan, a former chief minister, from the post of MPCC president if the party harbours hopes of returning to power in the state.

"I'm waiting for a response from the leadership," the former Lok Sabha MP said.

Nilesh, elder son of Congress leader Narayan Rane, lost the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Ratnagiri Sindhudurg, his family's stronghold in Konkan region.

He recently criticised Chavan for not filling up the post of Ratnagiri district Congress chief, lying vacant for the last two years, and quit as MPCC general secretary in protest.