Prepared to swim against all odds, says Chavan

Maharashtra Chief Minister indicates he is ready to swim against all odds for party's victory

Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said on Friday that he was ready to swim against all odds to lead the Congress to victory in the forthcoming Maharashtra Assembly election in October.

Chavan made the statement during an informal chat with reporters here, a day after the Congress high command announced in New Delhi that he would lead the party in the Assembly election.

He added that the Congress’ slew of pro-people and development decisions would be projected during the poll campaign by using traditional media as well as social media such as Facebook, Twitter and Whatsapp.

A visibly-relaxed Chavan downplayed alliance partner Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)’s repeated threats to seek at least 144 seats during seat-sharing talks with the Congress or go solo in the Assembly poll.

Instead, he said, the issue would be debated soon, at a proper forum. “Congress & NCP have contested two Lok Sabha elections and three Assembly polls in an alliance during the last 15 years. The coming Assembly poll is the sixth one and both parties would soon meet to discuss the nitty-gritty of  seat-sharing,” Chavan noted.

He also dismissed reports that the Congress had offered NCP chief Sharad Pawar to jointly lead the Congress & NCP in the Assembly election.

The party high command, said Chavan, had clearly told him that this was not the case.

Pawar had recently stated that the Congress had offered him the leadership of the alliance.

Though Chavan has been selected by the high command to lead the party, voices within the Maharashtra Congress say that he has an uphill task ahead of him.

“The Modi wave may have receded, but it still exists. There is an anti-incumbency factor as the Congress-NCP alliance has been ruling the state since the last 15 years. Chavan may be ‘Mr Clean’ but the Congress-NCP government is embroiled in various scams and corruption scandals. More importantly, Chavan will have to take a lead to bring all groups together to put up a united show,” a Congress minister told Business Standard.

A state general secretary of the party said the Congress was a divided house during the general election. “There is severe anger and displeasure among leaders and the rank and file against the Chavan-led government for not even appointing special executive officers or filling up posts on various state undertakings. Only 90 days are left for the Assembly poll. How will Chavan satisfy them?,” he asked.