'Talk of leadership changes in Maharashtra Congress speculation'

Congress leaders in Maharashtra Friday scoffed at speculations that a plan for leadership change in both the government and the state party unit was in the offing following its debacle in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

The issue arose after a meeting between Congress president Sonia Gandhi and others with state Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and state party chief Manikrao Thakre in New Delhi Friday.

A senior state leader, requesting not to be identified, said the meeting in the national capital was to discuss and finalise the candidates for the coming legislative council elections in the state.

The party is contesting Pune and Amravati Teachers Constituency and Nagpur Graduates Constituency in the biennial elections to the legislative council.

"There was no discussion on the leadership issue in the state as is being wildly speculated in some circles. Now, the Lok Sabha elections are behind us, we have to tackle future political challenges," the leader told IANS.

After the Congress debacle in the state, Chavan had accepted moral responsibility for the dismal show, kicking off a clamour for leadership change both at the government and party levels here.

The ruling coalition partner, Nationalist Congress Party has already made it clear that leadership change at this stage may not have much impact as the state assembly elections are barely five months away.