Chavan tightens grip on state Congress ahead of polls

Prithviraj Chavan is to launch a statewide tour in September to propagate flagship programmes of the central and state governments

Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan is steadily tightening his grip on the state Congress party organisation in the run-up to the ensuing Lok Sabha elections and the assembly polls slated thereafter.

Chavan has stepped up his exercise to hold region-wise meetings with party aspirants and leaders and thereby sent out a clear signal within the party that he would play a pro-active role in the determination of the party's election strategy and candidates. He wants to encash on his ‘Mr Clean’ image as during his over two-and-a-half year tenure, there have not been major allegations against him.

Chavan’s taking an aggressive stand comes at a time when his relations with party in-charge Mohan Prakash and state unit chief Manikrao Thakre have turned sour. Chavan, who enjoys tacit support from party president Sonia Gandhi and general secretary Rahul Gandhi, has already indicated that elective merit would be given a priority and that blessings of a few would not work during the determination of party nominees.

Curiously, Chavan has already silenced co-partner Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and intra-party critics after the party high command put at rest speculation of his removal. In fact, the high command has asked various aspirants for the chief minister's post to cooperate with Chavan in consolidating the party's position in Maharashtra.

Further, Chavan is sharpening his attack against his counterpart, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in general. Chavan noted that Modi should articulate his Pakistan policy, his economic policy and his Akhand Bharat policy. He went on to add that Modi only excels in the art of criticising his detractors and does not reveal his policy on key issues facing the nation. Chavan also led a blistering attack against the BJP for running a campaign to divide India.

Party spokesman Ratnakar Mahajan told Business Standard: “The first year of his term seemed to be tentative as he wanted to place himself purely in state politics. Now that he has done so, he would try to be more assertive and politically more aggressive.” However, Mahajan said Chavan and state party chief Manikrao Thakre would have to work in tandem in a bid to maintain and further consolidate the party's strength in the state.

Chavan and Thakre would launch a joint state wide tour in September to propagate flagship programmes of the central and state governments.

Besides, they would address party meetings exhorting cadre to stay united in the coming general elections.

Chavan would meet NCP leaders on September 1 to discuss strategy for the general elections as the alliance between the two would continue. The NCP has already announced that it would contest 22 seats, leaving 26 to the Congress. NCP chief Sharad Pawar and union minister for heavy industries Praful Patel said the seat- sharing formula had already been decided at the level of the Congress high command. However, the state Congress leaders are singing a different tune.