Vikhe-Patil may be new Maharashtra Congress chief; Manikrao Thackre might be inducted in state cabinet

MUMBAI: Maharashtra agriculture minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil has emerged as the front-runner for the post of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president.

The state unit of the party is preparing for a rejig ahead of Lok Sabha polls and the new MPCC president’s appointment is expected to be announced in a couple of days. MPCC met at Gandhi Bhavan in Mumbai on Tuesday evening amidst speculations over appointment of the new president and many other changes. Current MPCC president Manikrao Thackre is likely to be inducted in the state cabinet.

Party observer for Maharashtra, Mohan Prakash, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and MPCC president Manikrao Thackre discussed the political situation in the state and asked the members to express opinions about possible appointments in the party.

Just a few weeks ago industries minister Narayan Rane’s name had emerged for the state president’s position but no final decision happened on it.

Sources close to Vikhe-Patil told Economic Times that he is insisting that he will take the MPCC chief ’s position without giving up his ministerial berth. Vikhe-Patil comes from sugarrich Ahmednagar district in western Maharashtra and is the son of veteran Congress leader and sugar baron Balasaheb Vikhe-Patil. The official announcement of the appointment is likely to happen soon.