Who is Avinash Pande, Congress' new UP in-charge replacing Priyanka Gandhi

The Congress on Saturday assigned Uttar Pradesh Lok Sabha organisational responsibilities to senior leader Avinash Pande ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. With the announcement, he is now the General Secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh, replacing Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Responding to the appointment, Pande wrote on X, "Smt. Priyanka ji, I resolve to build upon your legacy. As General Secretary In charge, I will make the most of the authority invested in my position and the mandate given to me."

Who is Avinash Pande?

The former Rajya Sabha MP helmed leadership responsibilities for the party in Jharkhand and was a member of the Congress Working Committee, which is the highest decision-making body of the party.

Originally from Nagpur in Maharashtra and working as a lawyer, Pande gradually climbed the ranks of the Congress party through his involvement in the National Students' Union of India in the 1970s, and the Youth Congress. He later joined the Maharashtra unit of Congress and held several positions at both the state and national levels throughout his long political career.

He holds a Master's degree in Economic and Public Administration and has a background in law.

The 65-year-old leader served as a Rajya Sabha MP from Maharashtra between 2010 and 2016.

He also contested the Upper House elections in 2008, narrowly losing to industrialist Rahul Bajaj by a single vote.

Pande has held positions as a Member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council and has been involved in various administrative committees within the state.

Prior to the 2018 Rajasthan election, he was assigned the responsibility of overseeing the state. However, amidst the intense conflict between Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot, he was removed from this role and instead appointed as the AICC General Secretary in-charge of Jharkhand.