Gujarat may get new Congress unit chief soon; lobbying intensifies

The Gujarat Congress may soon get a new president and an in-charge as both these posts are lying vacant following the resignation of incumbent Amit Chavda and the death of Rajiv Satav, respectively, ahead of the next year's Assembly polls, sources and a party functionary said on Tuesday.

The Congress wants to give priority to Gujarat because of the 2022 polls, they said.

Chavda and Gujarat Congress Legislative Party (CLP) chief Paresh Dhanani had resigned in March this year after the party lost against the BJP in the local body polls.

Chavda and Dhanani were asked by the Central leadership of the Congress to continue till their replacements are found.

Gujarat Congress in-charge Rajiv Satav had started the process to select a new Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president. However, he died of post-Covid-19 complications last month.

"GPCC president Amit Chavda and CLP leader Paresh Dhanani had resigned from their posts in March after the party's defeat in local body polls.

The high-command may replace them as the elections are scheduled in the next year," Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said, adding that the party will also appoint state Congress in-charge soon.

In the 2017 Gujarat Assembly polls, the Congress increased its tally to 77 while restricting the ruling BJP at 99 seats in the 182-member House.

According to sources, hectic lobbying is going on for the post of the state PCC president. The high command is keen to appoint the state in-charge too.

Senior leaders Shaktisinh Gohil,Bharatsinh Solanki and Arjun Modhwadia are in the race for the post of state Congress president, sources said, adding Solanki, former central minister, has been camping in Delhi for the last two days.

According to sources, the names of Avinash Pandey, Mohan Prakash and B K Hariprasad are being considered as the new Gujarat in-charge for the Congress.

CLP chief Dhanani may not be replaced this time, they added.