Uncertainty in Congress leadership shows as CLP leader in Maharashtra is named

MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: While making fresh appointments in its Maharashtra legislative wing and picking Balasaheb Thorat as the new legislature party leader, the Congress on Friday betrayed uncertainty over the leadership situation by making sharp departures in the process adopted.
Thorat was appointed in place of Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who quit the post after his son, Sujay, successfully contested the Lok Sabha election on a BJP ticket.Thorat was also an in-house rival of Vikhe Patil.
Vijay Waddetiwar, deputy leader of the Congress in the assembly, was elevated as the group leader.
The appointments are part of a desperate Congress attempt to put its house in order for the crucial assembly election which follows a disastrous performance in the Lok Sabha contest.
In making changes to the state legislative wing, the Congress did not issue a press release, as has been the convention. Instead, AICC organisational head K C Venugopal wrote a letter to general secretary in-charge of Maharashtra, Mallikarjuna Kharge, informing him about the appointments.
Crucially, the letter refrained from saying "Congress president Rahul Gandhi has approved..." and instead mentioned "the AICC has approved...".
The change underlined the uncertainty over leadership that has prevailed ever since Rahul Gandhi announced his resignation at the CWC meeting on May 25 after the LS debacle.
The 66-year-old Thorat, a lawyer, was first elected to the assembly from Sangamner in 1985. He won all subsequent elections.
The AICC appointed Chandrapur legislator Vijay Wadettiwar the group leader in the assembly, which in usual circumstances should lead to his becoming the leader of the opposition.
Only, following Vikhe Patil's resignation, the Congress strength will be down to 41 from 42 and match the NCP numbers, placing a question mark on who is to be leader of the opposition.
Former minister Naseem Khan will be deputy leader in the lower house, Baswaraj Patil will be chief whip and Praniti Shinde, Yashomati Thakur, K C Padvi, Jaikumar Gore and Sunil Kedar will be whips. In the council, Sharad Ranpise will be group leader, and Bhai Jagtap and Ramhari Rupanwar, whips.
While Congress has repeatedly urged Rahul to continue as party president, there is no clarity on the future situation yet.
(Inputs from Delhi )