New Delhi: The issue of appointing a new
Maharashtra PCC president was deliberated by Congress
president Sonia Gandhi at a meeting with senior party leaders
here Saturday.
Gandhi discussed the matter with senior leaders AK
Antony, who is in-charge of party affairs in Maharashtra, and
her political secretary Ahmed Patel.
The meeting took place in the light of the Maharashtra
Congress authorising her to nominate the new PCC chief. Gandhi
is engaged in the process of deciding the PCC chiefs for all
states following her re-election as party chief recently.
The meeting assumes significance against the backdrop
of a controversy involving PCC chief Manikrao Thakre over
collection of funds from Congress ministers in Maharashtra for
Sonia`s rally in Sewagram yesterday.
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 Opposition in the
state Assembly Eknath Khadse after TV channels showed footage
of two senior Congress leaders including Thakre allegedly
discussing matters relating to fund collection.
The video showed Thakre speaking with former minister
Satish Chaturvedi about fund collection from Congress
ministers, including Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, for the
rally that was yesterday addressed by Gandhi.
Chavan has said all the money raised for the rally has
been accounted for.
A tussle is on between the supporters and detractors
of the Chief Minister over the issue of appointing a new PCC
chief. While the Chief Minister supports another term for
Thakre, Union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and some Maharashtra
ministers are opposed to his re-election.
PTI
