Controversial Chavan, Meer among five new PCC chiefs

Even as the Congress awaited the return of vice-president Rahul Gandhi, the ball was set rolling on Monday for organisational reshuffle with the appointment of presidents for five state units.

Monday’s changes saw the revival of fortunes of Adarsh scam-tainted Ashok Chavan who was appointed president of the Maharashtra unit of the Congress.

 AICC general secretary Ajay Maken, who lost the Lok Sabha and the Delhi Assembly elections, was handed over the charge of the party’s faction-ridden Delhi unit.

The Congress expects Uttam Reddy and Mally Bhati Virkamarka to revive its fortunes in Telangana after the bifurcation Andhra Pradesh. While Reddy has been appointed president, Virkamarka will be the working president.

It was a rehabilitation of sorts for Sanjay Nirupam and Bharatsinh Solanki – both lost the Lok Sabha polls last year. While Nirupam was appointed president of the Mumbai Regional Congress Committee, Solanki returned as the president of the Gujarat Congress after five years.
Senior leader Ghulam Ahmed Meer was made president of the Jammu and Kashmir unit of the Congress, in place of Saifuddin Soz.