Taking a step forward to strengthen the party, BJP in MH appoints Chandrakant Patil new state chief

Mumbai, July 16: Waking ahead in the Maharashtra assembly elections, the BJP on Tuesday appointed Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil and party MLA Mangal Prabhat Lodha as presidents of the state and Mumbai city units, respectively.

 

 

While Patil has replaced Raosaheb Danve, who resigned as the Maharashtra BJP chief after his induction into Union cabinet, Lodha, a builder and the richest MLA, will take place of Ashish Shelar who was recently appointed as a minister in the state government.

 

 

Danve, while announcing his resignation as the state unit president had said he needed to focus on his ministerial portfolio and parliamentary responsibilities, further requested the party to appoint a full time state president for strengthening the party organisation.

 

The elections for the 288-member House are due in September-October this year. In the recently-held Lok Sabha elections, the BJP retained its 2014 tally of 23 seats in Maharashtra, which sends 48 MPs to Lok Sabha.