Mumbai, Aug 21 (UNI) Mr Manikarao Thakre today took over as the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee President at the MPCC office here in presence of Chief Minister Vilarao Deshmukh and Revenue minister Narayan Rane.

Mr Thakre said efforts would be made to narrow the gap between the party and the government and coordination would be maintained.

He did not comment on resignation of Mr Rane, saying that the issue was not in his but High Command's jurisdiction.

Mr Deshmukh, election campaign committee chairman Gurudas Kamat and Mumbai regional congress committee president Kripashankar Singh were among those present on the occasion.

Mr Rane did not speak on the occasion. However, his presence in the party office gave much indication that he was not interested in taking on the party high command immediately.

Mr Deshmukh, Mr Kamat, and Mr Singh in their speeches, welcomed the new president and wished him best of luck for strengthening the party.

Mr Thakre had held the post of Maharashtra Pradesh Youth Congress Committee (MPYCC) president for seven years.

Earlier, when Mr Deshmukh and others were entering the party headquarters at Tilak Bhavan, party workers also rushed in at the same time and in the chaos, several cameramen fell down, damaging their cameras.

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