In keeping with the policy of the All India Congress Committee, an organisational restructuring drive was launched in the state to strengthen district party committees by appointing district presidents across Maharashtra. Under this campaign, national-level leaders will visit districts, interact with local workers, and oversee the selection of district presidents, said MPCC chief Harshwardhan Sapkal on Tuesday.

Alongside this, appointments at the taluka, mandal, and village levels will also be held by the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee.

Emphasis is being placed on strengthening the organisation, and this year has been declared as the year of organisation, said Sapkal.

A meeting of senior leaders, district presidents, and coordinators of the organisational drive was held at Tilak Bhavan in Mumbai under the chairmanship of Harshvardhan Sapkal.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Sapkal the organisational restructuring drive has begun nationwide and commenced in Maharashtra on March 27. Recommendations will be finalised by May 1, after which district presidents will be appointed. The state will have 72 district presidents and 750 taluka presidents. Village-level units will also be established to strengthen the organisation at the grassroots.

Additionally, appointments will be made for district and taluka presidents of the Youth Congress, Mahila Congress, and SC, ST, and OBC departments, he said.

Commenting on the Ashok Kharat case, Sapkal said that the case involving the self-styled godman has weakened the Mahayuti government in the state.

“While it is being claimed that there are 58 videos related to the sexual exploitation of women, the actual number is believed to be higher. However, only select videos are being leaked by the Home Department, which points to a larger conspiracy,” he said.

He also raised questions about reports of large sums of money being found with Kharat’s chartered accountant, asking whose money it actually is.

Those present at Tuesday’s meeting included Congress Legislature Party Vijay Wadettiwar and senior leader and Congress Working Committee member Balasaheb Thorat.

Speaking about the crisis regarding LPG supply, Sapkal said, “People are queuing up at petrol pumps and for LPG cylinders across the country and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis blaming Rahul Gandhi for this is absurd. Congress and Rahul Gandhi are not spreading rumours; rather, Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself, in a speech in Parliament, had compared the situation to that of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has created fear of a lockdown among the public.”

He added that the Modi government’s foreign policy has failed, leading to fuel and LPG shortages for citizens. He said the BJP government was shirking responsibility and blaming Congress instead.