Under the leadership of newly appointed state Congress president Harshavardhan Sapkal, the party will once again become a formidable force in the state, said Maharashtra Congress in-charge Ramesh Chennithala on Tuesday.
Sapkal took charge as Maharashtra Congress president in Mumbai on Tuesday. The event was attended by Chennithala, Legislative Party Leader Vijay Wadettiwar, former chief ministers Prithviraj Chavan and Sushilkumar Shinde, senior leader and Congress Working Committee member Balasaheb Thorat, Goa in-charge Manikrao Thakre and others.
Sapkal slammed the BJP for breaking the Shiv Sena and NCP and luring Congress leaders into its fold. Stressing the importance of strengthening the party, he said, “We have leadership, but we need to build a strong organisation. Our workers must be more skilled and determined. The battlefield has changed; we must take our fight to the streets. This is not the time to cry but to fight. We will rebuild Congress across Maharashtra, spread its ideology to every home, and ensure that the next chief minister is from Congress.”
Wadettiwar said, “The number of seats does not matter as much as the will to fight. Congress can never be wiped out. By following the principles of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Shahu Maharaj, Phule and Dr Ambedkar, we will restore Congress to its former glory.”
Outgoing state president Nana Patole said Congress was confident of winning 80-85 Assembly seats but was denied victory due to BJP’s vote manipulation. “Congress did not question the EVMs, but the Election Commission failed to explain the unexpected surge in votes,” he said.