Clerk more experienced than Chavan: Shiv Sena

The Shiv Sena attack followed Chavan's dismissal of Thackeray's claim for CM on the grounds of "inexperience"

The Shiv Sena on Monday criticised Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan by saying that a clerk in the secretariat has more experience than him regarding governance.

Taking strong umbrage at Chavan's objection to Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray's name being propped up for the post of chief minister on grounds that "he (Thackeray) lacks experience", the party criticised the Congress leader for his statement.

"First, his mental situation must be understood. Chavan is like a patient in the intensive care unit (ICU) whose condition deteriorates at times," the party said in an editorial in its mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

Chavan has not succeeded yet in locating a 'safe seat' for contesting the Oct 15 assembly elections, which has made him very upset, it said.

The Shiv Sena attack followed Chavan's comment in a panel discussion two days ago when he had dismissed Thackeray's claim for the post of chief minister on the grounds of "inexperience".

"What experience did (Chavan) have when he was made the chief minister some three years ago, due to a favour by (Congress president) Sonia Gandhi? When he came here, he lacked knowledge about the sub-districts of the state and did not know the names of his party legislators in western Maharashtra...," it said.

"His posting was only because of Sonia Gandhi, otherwise, all his experience was a clerical stint at a central ministry...In terms of experience, any desk officer in Mantralaya (secretariat) has more experience than Chavan," it said.

The party asked why he (Chavan) never raised an issue regarding experience gathered by Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi who was vying for the post of prime minister or his father Rajiv Gandhi.

"Besides, all these people who boast of 'experience', haven't they pushed the state and country to economic disaster? We wonder why Chavan is making a laughing stock of himself when he is on the verge of demitting the Chief Minister's Office," it said.

The editorial reiterated Thackeray's often repeated stance that he was not eyeing the chief minister post, but would not shy away if the responsibility was thrust on him.

"We shall spray and kill all the bugs of corruption that thrived in Chavan's chief ministerial chair...As for his tenure, he can frame and hang the certificate of experience in his home," it said.