Maharashtra Congress announces new 387-member jumbo committee; includes 16 senior VPs, 38 VPs

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has appointed a 387-member jumbo committee five months after Harshwardhan Sapkal took charge as the new state unit chief.

The new body includes a 36-member political affairs committee, 16 senior vice presidents, 38 vice presidents, five senior spokespersons, 108 general secretaries, 95 secretaries, 87 executive committee members.

All India Congress Committee (AICC) Maharashtra in-charge Ramesh Chennithala is the chairman of the political affairs committee.

Dheeraj Deshmukh, former MLA and son of late chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, has been named a senior spokesperson for the first time.

Former chief ministers Sushilkumar Shinde and Prithviraj Chavan, Mumbai Congress chief and Lok Sabha member Varsha Gaikwad, Rajya Sabha members Rajni Patil, Imran Pratapgarhi, former state presidents Nana Patole, Manikrao Thakare are members of the political affairs committee.

Presidents of 13 district units of the party have also been named.

Party sources said 40 per cent of the appointees are Other Backward Classes (OBC) and adequate representation has been given to Muslim, Adivasi, Dalit communities from each region of the state.

Fresh faces from regions from where leaders have deserted the party have been given place, the sources added.