But if Pawar supporters who drowned the State party headquarters with shouts of Maharashtra ki buland awaaz: Sharad Pawar, Sharad Pawar, were hoping to cow down Bhosle, they soon lost the advantage.

For the MPCC chief pulled of the impossible: He achieved a fine balancing act between the pro- and anti-Pawar factions in Maharashtra by making two unambiguous, categorical statements. That Maharashtra was no one's personal property and that he had never been anti-Sharad Pawar.

``Some people continue to promote a `rift' where none exists for their own nefarious purposes. Such `shopkeeping' will have to end,'' he said.

However, if there were genuine differences between various groups these problems would have to be solved amicablyinstead of being allowed to fester and grow into ugly sores, he said. ``Let us all be clear. None of us is omnipotent and the goal before all is to render Maharashtra into the Congress' strongest fortress.''

Bhosle stressed throughout that he believed in taking along everyone with him. There was also a clear indication that there might be no change in the MPCC team, currently an elected one but loaded in favour of Pawar, as that would mean contradicting his declared ability to work with and carry along one and all. ``Even if they are on opposite sides they are still all Congressmen and why should I wish for any others? I have so far made no such demand (for a change of team),'' he said. The statement puts to rest concern among a large section of MPCC executives about the nature of the changes that might take place with the new dispensation. Bhosle's clear-cut statement that factions could not expect him to work to a destructive agenda for he was committed only to building the party upwards, did succeed insubduing many who regard themselves as ``loyalists'' (read anti-Pawar).

The new MPCC chief also took the opportunity to caution the media against jumping to conclusions without ascertaining the facts. Since the announcement of his appointment he had had to debunk, on more than one occasion, the presumption that he belonged to any particular faction, he said.

``I would have been nothing today without the Congress. I am just a seventh class pass. But for this party I would have been a non-entity today. So it is my commitment to the Congress alone which counts,'' he said.

Bhosle said the MPCC would continue with its militant style recently adopted in taking on the Shiv Sena-BJP Government in Maharashtra. He would begin touring the State very soon and was determined to accord supreme status to the Congress worker. ``Every leader or worker will be given the respect due to him. And rewards will depend entirely on each one's performance,'' Bhosle added in his brisk no-nonsense manner. At the end of the daythe month-long subdued spirits in the Congress appeared on the upswing once more and, helped along by Bhosle, the party appeared to have come out of the crisis following the defeat of its candidate in the Rajya Sabha elections of June 18. ``I believe in letting bygones be bygones,'' he added.