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Mumbai: A change in Congress leadership in Maharashtra indicates that Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh is firmly in charge of the state - with the future of his strong opponent Revenue Minister Narayan Rane in a limbo.
Despite Rane protesting over Deshmukh's decision to hand over a state agency's land in Navi Mumbai at a subsidised rate to the Videocon company and then sending his resignation to the Congress Committee, there was no response from the high command.
On the contrary, Deshmukh's loyalist Manickrao Thakre, former Minister of State for Home, was appointed chief of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee after Prabha Rau, a Deshmukh-baiter, was made Himachal Pradesh governor.
The new appointments are significant in the run up to state assembly elections as the caste-combinations of the appointees are meant to please various sections.
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