Prithviraj Chavan to be new Maha chief minister

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Union minister Prithviraj Chavan, a technocrat belonging to the politically dominant Maratha community, was on Wednesday chosen as Maharashtra's next chief minister to succeed Ashok Chavan who was axed in the wake of the Housing Society scam in Mumbai.

Chavan, 64, an affable low-profile Congress leader who entered the hurly burly of politics at the persuasion of Rajiv Gandhi, is likely to take oath as the new head of the Congress-NCP coalition government on Thursday.

The announcement of selection of Chavan by the Congress High Command was made by senior Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee, a day after his predecessor was sacked in the wake of allegations in connection with the Adarsh Housing controversy.

Mr Chavan, who is the minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and an AICC general secretary, will be 22nd chief minister of Maharashtra since its inception in 1960.

"Congress president Sonia Gandhi has chosen Prithviraj Chavan as the Maharashtra Congress Legislature Party leader," Mr Mukherjee told reporters in New Delhi.

Mr Mukherjee said the Maharashtra Congress Legislature Party (CLP) had on Tuesday night authorised Mrs Gandhi to name its new leader and the Congress chief chose Chavan on Wednesday morning.

After the announcement, Mr Chavan met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh shortly before he left for Seoul to attend the G-20 summit and submitted resignation as MoS in the PMO. Mr Chavan was heading five departments as Union minister.

"I am extremely grateful to the Congress leadership for having entrusted the responsibility to me. I am accepting it with all the humility," Mr Chavan, a loyalist of the Gandhi family, said.

Mr Chavan, an engineer by profession and currently a member of the Rajya Sabha, said the responsibility of leading Maharashtra is a "great responsibility" and that he would try to do his best. In significant comments against the backdrop of several factions in Maharashtra's Congress unit, Mr Chavan said "I will try to take everybody with me together."

Mr Chavan also said he will seek the cooperation and support of all and that he was sure the Congress-NCP coalition government will "work smoothly" and try to make Maharashtra a "pre-eminent" state. He said he will speak to the leaders of coalition partners.

Mr Chavan, who has been a steadfast opponent of NCP chief Pawar, said he spoke to the Union agriculture minister and that he will also meet him personally.

Mr Pawar on his part said Chavan's choice was "good". "Chavan's selection is good. He is a balanced man. The coalition government (in Maharashtra) will work smoothly," Mr Pawar said when asked to comment on the Congress High Command's announcement.

Raj Bhavan sources in Mumbai said swearing-in of Mr Chavan as the new chief minister is unlikely on Wednesday. Mr Chavan is likely to leave for Mumbai this evening.
"Swearing-in today is a remote possibility...If Chavan, accompanied by leader of NCP Legislature party, meet governor this evening, swearing-in may take place tomorrow," the sources told PTI.

Ahead of the announcement, Mr Chavan met Mrs Gandhi at her 10, Janpath residence and Mr Mukherjee and defence minister A.K. Antony joined them later.

Mr Mukherjee and Mr Antony apprised the Congress chief of their interaction with MLAs in Maharashtra and developments at the CLP meeting last night.

The CLP had authorised Mrs Gandhi to choose a successor to Ashok Chavan, who quit on Tuesday following a directive from the Congress High Command in the wake of his alleged role in the Adarsh Housing Society scam.

Prithviraj Chavan belongs to the dominant Maratha community and hails from Western Maharashtra, the stronghold of Sharad Pawar.