Newly sworn-in chief minister Prithviraj Chavan today announced his government would focus on transparent administration and a focus on taking Maharashtra’s growth to a new height, administering, if needed, “bitter pills” to do so.
Accompanied by his deputy, Ajit Pawar, from the coalition ally, the Natinalist Congress Party, in a maiden press conference at the secretariat, he said the government do what was needed to remove regional imbalance, increase agricultural growth, upgrade infrastructure and provide education and decent living to all. To a query on a corruption-less government, Chavan said he would make all-out efforts in this direction with the cooperation of his colleagues in the ministry. Asked what action his government would take against IAS and IPS officials involved in the Adarsh housing scam which brought down his predecessor, he said the inquiry was currently on.
None from Congress
Earlier, the state governor, K Sankaranarayanan, administered the oath of office and secrecy to Chavan as the chief minister and Pawar as the deputy chief minister. Ironically, since his party high command has yet to approve the names of ministers, Chavan could not induct anyone from the Congress. On the other hand, the NCP inducted nine ministers besides Pawar — Chhagan Bhujbal (his predecessor as Deputy CM), R R Patil (another ex-Deputy CM), Jayant Patil, Ganesh Naik, Laxman Dhobale, Sunil Tatkare, Manohar Naik, Vijaykumar Gavit and Jaidutt Kshirsagar.
