Manikrao Thakre end near; Sonia Gandhi calls meet to replace him

Congress president Sonia Gandhi initiated the process of looking for a new president of the Maharashtra unit of the party at a high level meeting held on Saturday.

Union defence minister AK Antony, general secretary in-charge for the affairs of the state and Gandhi’s political advisor Ahmed Patel were among those who participated in the meeting held against the backdrop of the media controversy involving the incumbent chief Manikrao Thakre.

After her re-election for the fourth term as party president, Sonia Gandhi has been authorised by all state units to nominate their presidents. She has been conducting such meetings with party colleagues about other states too, but in Maharashtra there is a different dimension. The party has been facing acute public embarrassment as Thakre was caught on camera making references to the funds that were collected for the Congress president’s rally at Sevagram  on Friday.

TV channels have been showing the footage involving Thakre’s conversations with former minister Satish Chaturvedi that also mention that the state organisation has to contribute funds to “Delhi”.

“This has certainly put a question mark over Thakre’s chances of getting a second term,” said a party functionary.

Meanwhile, party sources have asserted that Thakre’s reference to Delhi in the television footage does not refer to funds. “It refers to the list of All Indian Congress Committee delegates that has to be finalised ahead of the November 2 session,” the functionary added.

Union minister for heavy industries Vilasrao Deshmukh, who was instrumental in getting Thakre appointed as state chief during his tenure as CM, has already come out openly against his getting a second term. State revenue minister Narayan Rane, another former chief minister has also expressed his opposition to Thakre.