Is Mumbai Regional Congress Committee getting a new chief?

The Mumbai Regional Congress Committee is abuzz with talk of a change of guard ahead of the city civic polls. Sources said aspirants have been lobbying for the president's post that is currently held by veteran legislator Bhai Jagtap.

Jagtap had assumed the office of the MRCC in December 2021, replacing the late Eknath Gaikwad. To select the president, the Congress high command had taken telephonic feedback from the party block presidents and others, asking them to name a leader of their choice. When Jagtap's name was announced, the supporters of his close competitor in the contest, Dr Amarjit Singh Manhas had claimed that their leader had got a majority vote and yet had been denied the top position.

Manhas, who missed the bus then, is said to be in the race for the top post again. Party insiders also see former city presidents Milind Deora and Sanjay Nirupam among options. Charan Singh Sapra, MRCC's working president, may naturally seek a promotion, they say. Dalit leaders Varsha Gaikwad and Chandrakant Handore are seriously testing their prospects to lead the MRRC, said a party leader.

Handore, in particular, has been demanding rehabilitation after he lost the MLC polls last year despite being the party's first choice in the preferential polling. The polling (by party MLAs) was probed by the party with assurance of disciplinary action. Things changed after the MVA government collapsed after the MLC elections.

Also Read: Mumbai: Some in Congress want to contest polls as solo party

Last time, the Congress high command had tried to prevent dissidence by creating a joint effort in the MRCC office by making former minister Mohd. Arief Naseem Khan the chairman of the campaign committee for the BMC polls. Manhas was appointed as chairman of the coordination committee, while ex-minister Suresh Shetty was asked to head the manifesto and publication committee. Handore was made in-charge of MRCC from the state Congress body (MPCC).

Party insiders said the final decision would be taken by Congress national President Mallikarjun Kharge, who knows the Maharashtra and Mumbai units like the back of his hand because he was their in-charge general secretary in the past. It is also said that some aspirants who claim proximity to Kharge have been working on getting his nod.

2021
Year Bhai Jagtap was appointed to the post