Ex-CM Chavan lucky to have got Lok Sabha ticket, says Kalmadi

Suresh Kalmadi, the sulking city Congress MP refused renomination by the party for the taint stuck to him in the CWG scam, today described former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan as a "lucky man" to have been made a candidate despite figuring in the row over the Adarsh Housing society scam.
"He is a lucky man. What can I say?," he said sporting a wry smile.
Kalmadi, talking to reporters after casting his vote, was asked what he thought of Chavan's nomination by Congress from Nanded Lok Sabha seat notwithstanding the corruption charges levelled against him in the Adarsh housing scam.

After making frantic but unsuccessful efforts to persuade the Congress high command to give the Pune Lok Sabha ticket to his wife as his own case had been weakened by the CWG scam, the suspended MP, who initially appeared rebellious and geared up to fight as an independent, finally announced his support to the party's official nominee Vishwajeet Kadam for "ensuring development" of the city.
Kalmadi's backing Kadam came after state Congress leaders' pleas to him to involve his large number of supporters in the campaigning and reported assurance of having his suspension revoked, party sources said.
In Pune, a traditional Congress bastion, Kadam, President of Maharashtra Youth Congress, is locked in a fight against BJP's Anil Shirole, Subhash Ware of AAP and Deepak Paigude of MNS.