NEW DELHI: Congress President Sonia Gandhi has appointed Jagdish Thakor as the new president of the Gujarat Congress replacing Amit Chavda.

The appointment comes ahead of next year's assembly elections in the state, where the Congress is seeking to wrest power from the BJP.

"Congress president has appointed Shri Jagdish Thakor as the President, Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee, with immediate effect," an official statement from the party said on Friday.

"The party appreciates the contributions of outgoing PCC President, Shri Amit Chavda," AICC general secretary KC Venugopal said in the statement.