Bringing Congress back on top in Maha my priority: Nana Patole

Nana Patole, who was appointed asthe Maharashtra unit chief of the Congress on Friday, said heaims to restore the numero uno position of the party in thestate.

Patole, who represents Sakoli Assembly constituencyin Bhandara district, had resigned as Speaker of MaharashtraAssembly on Thursday. The Congress appointed him as the stateunit president, replacing Balasaheb Thorat.

Talking to PTI after his appointment, Patole said, ''Iwill live up to the faith and trust shown in me by my leadersSonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, and make Congress the numberone party in the state again.'' Patole, a four-time MLA, had briefly quit the Congressto join the BJP and had successfully contested the Bhandara-Gondia Lok Sabhaseat against NCP leader Praful Patel in 2014.

However, he had quit the BJP following differences.

The Congress shares power with the Shiv Sena and theNationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Maharashtra.