Former MP Milind Deora Thursday took charge as new president of the Mumbai unit of the Congress.
Deora (42) is also the party's candidate from Mumbai South Lok Sabha seat.
Actor Urmila Matondkar who joined the Congress Wednesday, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, senior leaders Kripashankar Singh, Eknath Gaikwad, outgoing city unit president Sanjay Nirupam and Congress general secretary in charge of the state Mallikarjun Kharge were present on the occasion.
Deora described his new responsibility as a crown of thorns. "I too will have to hand it over to somebody later," he said.
"We have requested party chief Rahul Gandhi to nominate Urmila Matondkar as a candidate and a decision in this regard will be taken soon," Deora said.
Chavan too said that Matondkar's candidature will be declared soon. The Bollywood actor is likely to be the Congress' candidate from Mumbai North, where she will take on sitting BJP MP Gopal Shetty.
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Nirupam -- who had faced a lot of opposition from within the city unit of the party -- said he was handing over a crown of thorns to Deora, and hoped the "thorns would turn into flowers".
He said he was thankful to his detractors in the party. "I have no differences with Milind Deora. I will support him. Every party worker should respect the orders of party president Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. If we want to make Rahul Gandhi prime minister, we (Congress) should send all six MPs from Mumbai to the Lok Sabha," he said.
Deora in his speech also paid tributes to late city Congress leader Gurudas Kamat, saying Kamat helped him when he became MP at the age of 27.
He will not tolerate indiscipline, Deora warned, urging party workers to work unitedly for winning the election.
Kharge asked the city unit to stand behind Deora.