The question being hotly discussed within Maharashtra Congress is if chief minister Prithviraj Chavan will he lose his job after the party’s humiliating defeat in the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation elections.
Party insiders said what has gone against Chavan is Congress’ ruling ally Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)’s emergence as winner of more seats in the elections termed as “mini-Assembly” polls.
Some party leaders admitted that Chavan’s statement that Shiv Sena and the party chief Bal Thackeray would become inconsequential and insignificant after BMC elections had gone against the Congress but helped Shiv Sena to consolidate its grip over Marathi votes. Lack of coordination between senior ministers and the party organisation at the state and city levels led to the party’s poor show.
A group of party legislators and the state executive body said that one factor that may work in Chavan’s favour is the worry that the removal of a chief minister for poor show in civic elections could set a precedent. Further, there are very few leaders in the state who can keep the divided party together and gear up the administration ahead of the Assembly elections in 2014.
There are few takers for the clarification of the Congress in charge of Maharashtra Mohan Prakash that Chavan would not be removed from the chief minister’s post.
Chavan and state party president Manikrao Thakre could not be reached despite repeated attempts.
Another reason that could go in Chavan’s favour is his image. Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee spokesman Sachin Sawant told Business Standard: “The party has benefitted due to Chavan’s image and also some of the important decisions taken by the state government for Mumbai.
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The Congress party’s defeat in the BMC elections cannot be attributed to any single individual and the party high command knows about it.” Some leaders said during private conversations that they hoped Chavan would be shifted back to New Delhi after the ensuing Budget session of the Maharashtra State Legislature, starting from March 15.
According to these leaders, power minister Sushilkumar Shinde, who was the CM in 2003-2004, and minister of science and technology Vilasrao Deshmukh are the front runners for the chief ministership.
However, their fate hangs in the balance due to the ongoing judicial inquiry into the Adarsh society scam. Both had submitted their views to the probe panel regarding decisions taken by them during their tenure as the chief minister with regard to Adarsh society, meant for the relatives of Kargil heroes.
This apart, the names of ministers Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil and Balasaheb Thorat are also doing the rounds.
Both hail from the sugarcane rich Ahmadnagar district in western Maharashtra. Sources said they lack the administrative and political skills to revive the Congress and take on the NCP ahead of next Assembly elections.
A senior minister, who did not want to be identified, said: “Chavan has a clean image but he will have to take a further grip over administration.
On the other hand, NCP under the leadership of deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar is pursuing its desire to emerge as the single largest party in the 2014 assembly elections quite aggressively.
When compared with NCP’s command over its ministers and leaders, the Congress has to pull its up socks ahead of the next Assembly elections.
Therefore, Chavan will have to change his present style of functioning especially increase the pace of clearance of files and expedite decisions making process.”
Chavan and Thakre are expected to submit their reports soon to the party high command, which is now focussing on poll-bound Uttar Pradesh and Goa.