In a significant reorganization announced last evening, the Congress party designated Avinash Pande as its general secretary in Uttar Pradesh, succeeding Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the role. As part of various appointments, Vadra has been assigned the position of general secretary "without any assigned portfolio."
In addition to Pande's appointment, the party named Sachin Pilot, a senior leader and former deputy chief minister of Rajasthan, as the in-charge of Chhattisgarh. Jitendra Singh has been appointed as the in-charge of Assam with an additional charge of Madhya Pradesh, and Randeep Singh Surjewala will serve as the in-charge of Karnataka, among other notable appointments.
Avinash Pande, a former Rajya Sabha member and a Congress Working Committee (CWC) member, is a lawyer by profession and entered the Congress through its student wing. Originally from Nagpur, he previously served as a Rajya Sabha MP from Maharashtra in 2010 and was a Member of the Legislative Council in the state.
Pande, who has held significant roles within the party, previously served as the in-charge of Congress units in Jharkhand and Rajasthan. Notably, amid the power struggle between former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot, Pande was reassigned from Rajasthan and appointed as the in-charge of the Jharkhand unit in 2022.
Expressing gratitude, Pande thanked INC India President Kharge, Chairperson of Congress Parliamentary Party Sonia Gandhi, leader Rahul Gandhi, and Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal for the opportunity. He accepted the appointment with humility and pledged to honor the trust placed in him.
