Who will be the next CM? CLP leaves it to high command

The three observers,Digvijay Singh,A K Antony and K Rehman Khan,interacted with the 82 new MLAs,besides party MPs to discuss the issue. Later,they also met the MLAs individually.

After the interaction,the observers and state leaders including Chavan,Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee chief Manikrao Thakre,Deshmukh and Rane left for Delhi for a meeting with the high command.

“There was no unanimity on Chavan as the next chief minister as many MLAs felt that the party required an aggressive chief minister,” a senior Congress leader said.

“The outgoing House had a weak opposition,but the newly elected assembly includes aggressive MLAs in parties like the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena,the Samajwadi Party and the Third Front.”

He said that the dissenting Congress MLAs wanted either Rane or Deshmukh to be made the chief minister to tackle an opposition that was likely to be more aggressive than its predecessor.

Besides,the MLAs said that Chavan could not get along well with NCP leaders,as he allegedly sat over their proposals.

Sources said that Deshmukh and Rane who are in the race for the top post were trying to hamper the chances of Chavan becoming the chief minister again.

They said that Deshmukh and Rane had teamed up against Chavan,with Deshmukh preparing to ask MLAs whose support he enjoys to back Rane in case the high command rejects his own candidature. The CLP also suggested the name of Vilaskaka Undalkar from Karad South for the Speaker of the Assembly.