India, Feb. 14 -- The All India Congress Committee (AICC) on Thursday announced the appointment of former Buldhana MLA Harshwardhan Sapkal as the new state Congress president, replacing Nana Patole who resigned after party's poor showing in the assembly elections in November last year. Vijay Wadettiwar, leader of opposition in the previous assembly, has been appointed leader of the party's legislative unit in Maharashtra.

The announcements were made by AICC general secretary KC Venugopal on Thursday, a day after Hindustan Times reported about the likelihood of Sapkal being appointed state Congress chief.

A farmer by profession, the 58-year-old Sakpal entered politics with the Sarvodaya movement led by Vinoba Bhave, a Gandhian leader. He...