India, Feb. 13 -- The new state Congress president is likely to be Harshwardhan Sapkal, 57, former Buldhana legislator. Considered close to leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, Sapkal will succeed Nana Patole, who resigned as Maharashtra Congress chief, owning moral responsibility for the party's crushing defeat in the assembly elections in November last year.

The party leadership had since been looking for a replacement but, insiders say, no prominent leader wanted to step up to the plate as it would mean shouldering the humongous responsibility of rebuilding the demoralised party. Moreover, the leadership wanted to appoint a young face to lead the party in the state.

"Sapkal is likely to be the new face of the Maha...