New Delhi: Former Union minister Milind Deora has been appointed as the new President of Mumbai Regional Congress Committee by Congress party chief Rahul Gandhi on Monday. The post was previously held by senior party leader Sanjay Nirupam. Deora is the son of former oil minister Murli Deora, is considered close to the Congress chief.

In a press release issued by the All India Congress Committee, General Secretary KC Venugopal, it was mentioned, "Hon'ble Congress President Rahul Gandhi has appointed Shri. Milind Deora as the new President of Mumbai Regional Congress Committee. The party appreciates the contribution of outgoing President Sanjay Nirupam."

Sanjay Nirupam had been at loggerheads with senior party leaders in the state and the move has come as a bid to quell the intense infighting within the Mumbai Congress. He was appointed the president of the Mumbai Regional Congress Committee in March 2017.

Meanwhile, later this evening, Congress party released a list of 26 candidates in Maharashtra and West Bengal for upcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2019. According to the list, Sanjay Nirupam will contest from Mumbai North-West (Maharashtra) who has served two terms as an MP in the Rajya Sabha first as a member from the Shiv Sena and then from the Congress Party. During his two-year stint as the MRCC chief, the party witnessed bickerings and increased differences among local leadership leading to public spats. This is the tenth list of candidates announced by the Congress Central Election Committee for the ensuing elections to the Lok Sabha.