This is an archive article published on February 14, 2025
Cong picks low-key ex-MLA ‘loyal’ to Gandhian ideology as new Maharashtra chief: Who is Harshvardhan Sapkal?
In the wake of Cong's drubbing in Assembly polls, senior state leaders were “reluctant” to take up the MPCC chief's post, even as Sapkal's task is cut out now
4 min readMumbaiUpdated: Feb 14, 2025 07:06 PM IST
Harvardhan Sapkal hails from Buldhana district in the Vidarbha region, and is known in the Congress circles as a low-profile leader interested in organisational work. (Facebook: Harshvardhan Sapkal)
Two months after facing a drubbing in the Maharashtra Assembly polls, the Congress leadership on Thursday appointed former party MLA Harshvardhan Sapkal as the president of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC).
Sapkal replaced Nana Patole who held the post of the state Congress chief since 2021.
With its tally in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly down to 16, Sapkal has his task cut out now – from revamping the Congress organisation to instilling confidence in the party rank and file, to curbing infighting within the state unit. This becomes especially important ahead of the local body polls scheduled for April this year.
Sapkal hails from Buldhana district in the Vidarbha region, and is known in the Congress circles as a low-profile leader interested in organisational work.
Once a state-level kabaddi player who joined the National Students Union of India (NSUI), the Congress’s student wing, Sapkal started his career as a sarpanch in Buldhana.
In 1999, when he was 27, Sapkal became one of the youngest zilla parishad chiefs of the state.
In 2014, he became MLA for the first time, winning from the Buldhana Assembly seat on a Congress ticket.
Story continues below this ad
Sapkal describes himself as a committed “sarvodayee” – the Gandhian ideology conceptualised and popularised by his disciple Acharya Vinoba Bhave with a vision for a class-fee society.
In the past, the Congress has chosen senior leaders with a strong base to lead the Maharashtra party unit. This seems to be unprecedented that the Congress leadership has picked a face to lead the MPCC just on the basis of his ideological commitment.
“This is a new experiment for the party and it is being undertaken at a time when an organisational overhaul is necessary. Most of the state and district-level units stand defunct,” said a senior party leader.
The Congress camp also seems to believe that Sapkal’s low profile would help it raise the morale of a battered party unit.
Story continues below this ad
“His loyalty to Gandhian ideology, focus on strengthening organisation and lack of business interests were the key points while choosing him,” said an All India Congress Committee (AICC) leader.
Congress sources said several senior state party leaders were “reluctant” to take up the role of the MPCC chief.
“Maharashtra is set to have five years of Mahayuti rule without a doubt. This is going to be a challenging period for the Opposition. A number of influential leaders did not accept the responsibility (as the MPCC chief) and Sapkal has accepted it during a hard time,” said a party insider.
AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge also appointed Vijay Wadettiwar as the leader of the state Congress Legislature Party (CLP).
Story continues below this ad
The Congress won 13 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls as part of the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance. With one Independent MP supporting the party, its Lok Sabha tally from the state currently stands at 14 – the single largest among all the parties in the state. This ignited the party’s hope for a good showing in the Assembly polls that were held five months later.
The MVA, comprising the Congress, NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT), campaigned aggressively for the Assembly elections, but was routed by the BJP-led Mahayuti.
The Congress’s 16-seat tally in the Assembly polls pushed it to fifth place among the six major parties in the state.
Alok Deshpande is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express' Mumbai bureau, recognized for his focused and authoritative reporting on governance, politics, and the socio-economic dynamics of Maharashtra's hinterlands. His unique academic background in Geology and early work in the water sector provides a specialized layer of Expertise to his reporting on resource and environmental issues.
Expertise
Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express, Mumbai.
Core Authority: Alok provides detailed coverage of Maharashtra politics and governance, with a particular emphasis on how policies and power struggles affect the rural and semi-urban areas (the 'hinterlands').
Key Coverage Areas: His reports frequently focus on high-stakes administrative and political topics, including:
State Assembly Proceedings: In-depth reporting on the Legislative Assembly, covering ministerial statements, legislative debates, and inter-party conflict within the ruling Mahayuti alliance.
Policy & Finance: Coverage of state finances, including supplementary budget demands, fiscal deficits, and major government schemes (e.g., Jal Jeevan Mission, Ladki Bahin Yojana).
Rural and Social Issues: Reports on critical health issues (e.g., child deaths in districts), human-animal conflict (leopard attacks, stray dogs), and agrarian concerns (e.g., farmer suicides).
Local and Urban Governance: Covers major announcements regarding urban development (e.g., BMC's OC amnesty scheme, pagdi system push) and local body elections, including political defections and alliance splits.
Unique Credentials & Trustworthiness
Academic Specialization: Holds a Post-graduate degree in Geology. This background gives him a foundational understanding of natural resources, which directly informs his reporting on environment, water, and infrastructure projects.
Early Professional Experience: His shift to journalism came after working with an NGO focused on the water sector. This practical experience strengthens his Expertise in critical areas like water management and rural development, as evidenced by his reporting on the Jal Jeevan Mission.
Journalism Training: An alumnus of the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai, confirming his formal training and commitment to rigorous journalistic standards.
Alok Deshpande's rare combination of scientific education, non-profit sector experience, and deep political reporting makes him a highly trusted and authoritative voice on the governance and ground realities of Maharashtra.
He tweets @alokdesh ... Read More
