Prithviraj Chavan, the technocrat-politician and one of the Congress’s most efficient crisis managers, will take over as the new chief minister of Maharashtra.
Prithviraj Chavan, the technocrat-politician and one of the Congress’s most efficient crisis managers, will take over as the new chief minister of Maharashtra.
Chavan, 64, who served long as the backroom player in the prime minister’s office, is known for his clean image as well as his closeness to prime minister Manmohan Singh and the Gandhi family, particularly Rahul Gandhi. Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee made the announcement on Wednesday morning after the party high command cleared his name.
As per Congress tradition, on Tuesday, the party’s legislators in the state had left the decision to the high command. Though Chavan lacks experience at the helm and a mass base, what worked in his favour is his non-controversial and clean profile.
His selection goes well with the party’s strategy to salvage its image after the Adarsh housing society scandal. His appointment was strongly backed by Rahul Gandhi.
While the Congress leaders in the state have welcomed the change, they are apprehensive about the new chief minister’s ability to handle a politically complex state where bureaucrats no longer seem to be in control of the politicians.
They are also doubtful about the ability of the new leader to take on the coalition partners. Though he is the Lok Sabha representative from Karad in western Maharashtra, Chavan has spent most of his political career in Delhi.
“Managing dirty district politics will be a difficult exercise for somebody accustomed to the polished prime minister’s office. He will have to adjust himself to the new challenge fast,” said a senior Congress minister.
But the chief minister struck the right note in the beginning itself by meeting NCP president Sharad Pawar. It was followed by a series of meetings with Union heavy industries minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and power minister Sushil Kumar Shinde.
“Chavan is an able candidate for chief minister,” said Pawar, burying the political rivalry of the past. On his part, the chief minister exuded confidence that he would win over the coalition partners.
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