A Cong panel for Vidarbha?

The Congress is likely to set up a Pradesh Congress Committee or an election committee for the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, ahead of Assembly polls in the state. The strategy is similar to the formation of a separate committee for Telangana before the polls in Andhra Pradesh. There is already a separate PCC for Mumbai in Maharashtra.

The Congress is mulling various proposals to appease the regional sentiments of Vidarbha, a stronghold of the party, which is under increasing threat from the BJP-Shiv Sena combine on the one hand and BSP on the other. The Congress managed to win just one of the 11 Lok Sabha seats in the last elections. The region accounts for 66 Vidhan Sabha seats.

Former state Congress chief Ranjit Deshmukh is likely to get a key post in the proposed body. Sources said he has been assured of a say in the selection of candidates from the Vidarbha region.

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Deshmukh, who has been sulking after his removal as state party chief, met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and AICC treasurer Moti Lal Vora today. The 40-minute meeting came amid reports that he may cross over to the BSP. Deshmukh refused to comment on his meeting, fuelling speculation further.

But Vora said Deshmukh is not sulking and has assured the leadership that he will work to strengthen the party.