Mumbai: Newly-appointed Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal on Tuesday took charge of his post and said he would work to strengthen the party’s organization in the state and bring it back to power.
Speaking at the party meeting after taking over from former state unit chief Nana Patole, Sapkal sought cooperation from party workers as well as leaders to revive Congress in Maharashtra.
“If we don’t try, we will not succeed,” he said.
He attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party over its drive to enroll one crore members in Maharashtra and its claim to be the biggest party, adding that it was actually weak in the state.
“If it is the biggest political party, what was the need for it to break the Shiv Sena and NCP, and take Congress leaders in its fold,” he said.
He wanted honest and committed workers for rebuilding Congress in Maharashtra, Sapkal said.
“I want to tell AICC in-charge Ramesh Chennithala that I will not vie for any other post, including chief minister. I don’t want to become CM, MP or MLA. I will work to ensure that Congress returns to power and a Congress leader becomes chief minister,” he said.
He will hold discussions with district unit chiefs, office-bearers, and other leaders to draw up a roadmap for the future, Sapkal said.
Senior leader Prithviraj Chavan said Sapkal has the determination to navigate the party through tough times.
“We have a good opportunity to turn the tide in the local bodies polls. Sapkal is an organization man and fit to lead the state unit,” said the former chief minister.
Balasaheb Thorat, another senior leader, said Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi alone was fighting to save democracy and protect the Constitution, and “we need to strengthen his hands.”
Congress activists in Maharashtra should rise to this challenge and work to unite society, save democracy and protect the Constitution, he said.
