Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan’s resignation is an attempt to emphasize the Congressman's clean image and his perceived integrity at a time when other parties in the state – the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party – appear to be involved in a petty squabble for his job, party officials said.
For all practical purposes, Chavan’s coalition government existed only in name after the election dates were declared last fortnight. As is constitutionally mandated, all powers of the state government were immediately vested with the Election Commission. When the Congress's electoral alliance with the NCP crumbled on Thursday, Chavan's government was reduced to a minority.
“Had Chavan not resigned from the post, the opposition parties would have made this an election issue,” said a senior Congress leader. “Resignation was, therefore, the only wise decision. It has sent the message that, unlike other parties, Congress is not driven by the lust for power. It will also bolster the image of Chavan, who is known for his honest image.”
Chavan’s resignation was a well calculated move, and the decision was taken after a long deliberation at the residence of Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi late on Thursday, this official said.
NCP leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar announced at a press conference in Mumbai on Thursday that he was resigning and that his party was also pulling out from the state government. “I want to tell the people of Maharashtra that we are withdrawing support from the state government," he said. "We will inform the Governor of the state.” Soon after, an NCP delegation led by Pawar which also included senior NCP leaders Chhagan Bhujbal and Sunil Tatkare met Governor C Vidyasagar Rao to inform him of the party’s decision.
The development had followed dramatic scenes in which two grand alliances – one between Shiv Sena and the BJP and other between the Congress and the NCP – crumbled almost within an hour.
Chavan reacted quickly. Addressing a press conference late on Thursday, he questioned the timing of the break up by the NCP and wondered if another alliance was in the offing, indicating a possible BJP-NCP alliance in future.
Around the same time, at Rahul Gandhi’s residence in New Delhi, senior Congress leaders sketched out a course of action in Maharashtra. During the election campaign, they will play up Chavan’s tenure of providing a corruption-free government. The resignation, officials decided, would only add to party’s projection of Chavan as Mr Clean.
On Friday morning, even before there could the opposition camps demanded his resignation, Chavan met the Governor to put in his papers, thus retaining the moral high ground, a party official said.
At this stage, the Governor could ask Chavan to lead a caretaker government until a new government is formed after the elections or he could recommend the imposition of President’s Rule
For all practical purposes, Chavan’s coalition government existed only in name after the election dates were declared last fortnight. As is constitutionally mandated, all powers of the state government were immediately vested with the Election Commission. When the Congress's electoral alliance with the NCP crumbled on Thursday, Chavan's government was reduced to a minority.
“Had Chavan not resigned from the post, the opposition parties would have made this an election issue,” said a senior Congress leader. “Resignation was, therefore, the only wise decision. It has sent the message that, unlike other parties, Congress is not driven by the lust for power. It will also bolster the image of Chavan, who is known for his honest image.”
Chavan’s resignation was a well calculated move, and the decision was taken after a long deliberation at the residence of Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi late on Thursday, this official said.
NCP leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar announced at a press conference in Mumbai on Thursday that he was resigning and that his party was also pulling out from the state government. “I want to tell the people of Maharashtra that we are withdrawing support from the state government," he said. "We will inform the Governor of the state.” Soon after, an NCP delegation led by Pawar which also included senior NCP leaders Chhagan Bhujbal and Sunil Tatkare met Governor C Vidyasagar Rao to inform him of the party’s decision.
The development had followed dramatic scenes in which two grand alliances – one between Shiv Sena and the BJP and other between the Congress and the NCP – crumbled almost within an hour.
Chavan reacted quickly. Addressing a press conference late on Thursday, he questioned the timing of the break up by the NCP and wondered if another alliance was in the offing, indicating a possible BJP-NCP alliance in future.
Around the same time, at Rahul Gandhi’s residence in New Delhi, senior Congress leaders sketched out a course of action in Maharashtra. During the election campaign, they will play up Chavan’s tenure of providing a corruption-free government. The resignation, officials decided, would only add to party’s projection of Chavan as Mr Clean.
On Friday morning, even before there could the opposition camps demanded his resignation, Chavan met the Governor to put in his papers, thus retaining the moral high ground, a party official said.
At this stage, the Governor could ask Chavan to lead a caretaker government until a new government is formed after the elections or he could recommend the imposition of President’s Rule
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