The Congress Monday appointed Charan Das Mahant, MP from Korba and a junior minister in the central government, as the acting chief of its Chhattisgarh unit, after its frontline leadership was wiped out in a Maoist attack.
The announcement followed the May 25 killing Congress state president Nand Kumar Patel and others.
Former minister Bhupesh Baghel was appointed programme coordinator of the state unit.
Nand Kumar Patel, Salwa Judum founder Mahendra Karma and former legislator Uday Mudaliyar were among the 24 Congress leaders killed in Bastar when Maoists ambushed a Congress convoy. Four security personnel also died.
Senior leader V.C. Shukla was critically injured.
The National Investigation Agency is probing the attack.
