Congress faction to pursue Chavan's removal

The truce between the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) notwithstanding, about 60 disgruntled legislators of the ruling Congress party in Maharashtra are determined to pursue their demand that Prithviraj Chavan be removed from the chief minister’s post.

These legislators would soon take up their demand with Congress president Sonia Gandhi. They would also seek early clearance for development projects in various constituencies. These legislators would also plead for expanding the cabinet till Chavan held the chief minister’s post. They would also demand that non-performing Congress ministers be removed.

The NCP has indicated it was open to cabinet expansion.

Chief Minister Chavan, however, claimed there was no demand for his removal, either from the Congress or from the NCP. He added the demands raised by the Congress legislators pertained to development issues.

One of the Congress legislators seeking Chavan’s removal told Business Standard, “We will continue to take up our case...Our demand for the replacement of Chavan stands. There have been no major decisions on implementation of development projects in our constituencies despite follow-up at the chief minister’s level. It will be difficult for us to be reelected in the 2014 assembly elections if this scenario continues.” He added these legislators had nothing to do with NCP’s line of action.