Nagpur: In an unprecedented development, the Maharashtra Youth Congress leadership appointments announced by State President Kunal Raut at midnight on Thursday were rescinded within 12 hours by the party’s national leadership in New Delhi on Friday. The prompt intervention was accompanied by a stern warning of disciplinary measures against Raut for circumventing procedures.
Raut had announced a substantial expansion of the State Youth Congress committee at 12.36 am on Friday via the organisation’s WhatsApp group, congratulating the newly appointed office bearers through a video message. The roster encompassed eight working presidents, 22 vice-presidents, 91 general secretaries, and 95 secretaries. However, by afternoon, the party’s National Secretary and Maharashtra Youth Congress in-charge Ajay Chikara, alongside co-incharges Kunar Rohit and Ehsan Ahmed Khan, invalidated the appointments.
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Saturday 22 March 2025
In a communiqué posted on the official Youth Congress Facebook page, the central leadership rendered Raut’s appointments void, citing procedural infractions and absence of sanction from the high command. The decision reverberated through the state unit, abruptly halting celebrations among the newly appointed members. Several leaders had commenced preparing congratulatory messages and promotional materials, but the revocation left them crestfallen.
“The Youth Congress did not sanction these appointments, and no proper protocol was followed. The organisation has taken grave cognisance of the matter, and stringent disciplinary action will be implemented,” the national leadership cautioned in its statement.
This controversy compounds the turmoil in the state unit, following the expulsion of 60 Youth Congress leaders, including Vice-President Tanveer Vidrohi and general secretaries Shivani Wadettiwar, Ketan Thakre, Anurag Bhoyar, Mithilesh Kanhere, Akshay Hete, and Abhishek Dhawad, merely two days before Republic Day this year. The action had sparked considerable unrest, with dissenting leaders attributing the crisis to Raut’s inaction.
Following the controversy, Delhi appointed Shivraj More as the Working President of Maharashtra Youth Congress. Notably, whilst Shivani Wadettiwar and Ketan Thakre were included in Raut’s new list as vice-presidents, former members such as Akshay Hete, Tanveer Vidrohi, Mithilesh Kanhere, and Anurag Bhoyar were excluded.
