IANS

Mumbai, Feb 4: The Congress Wednesday elevated its Maharashtra Youth Congress chief Rajiv Satav as president of the Indian Youth Congress.

The move comes ahead of party general secretary Rahul Gandhi's planned visit to Maharashtra Friday.

The name was announced after an urgent meeting of IYC office-bearers which was presided over by Rahul Gandhi, who is incharge of the Youth Congress.

Following Rahul Gandhi's remarks at Patna Tuesday that "every part of India belongs to every Indian" and his barbs at the Shiv Sena, the Sena launched a personal, vicious attack on the Congress leader. The Congress too joined the war of words with Sena chief Bal Thackeray.

Satav, 35, who had accompanied Rahul Gandhi during his two-day tour of Bihar, denied that his appointment was a Congress response to Sena's 'Mumbai for Marathis' plank.

"I don't think there is any relation. This is a message to ordinary workers of Youth Congress that (hard) work is rewarded," Satav told IANS.

However, he added that his appointment was an honour for Maharashtra. Satav said it was second time that a leader from Maharashtra had become chief of Youth Congress. Mukul Wasnik, who is a union minister, was the chief of Youth Congress in the late '80s.

Listing his priorities, Satav said he will build a cadre of elected leaders and bring good leadership to the fore.

Appointed chief of the Maharashtra Youth Congress about one-and-a-half years back through "talent search" by Rahul Gandhi, Satav said he would be "the last nominated president" of the Youth Congress.

Satav succeeds Ashok Tanwar, who is an MP from Sirsa in Haryana.