Good poll show keeps Chavan at top

The Congress-NCP managed to trounce the saffron alliance in its stronghold of Marathwada,with the Congress and NCP winning 17 and 12 seats respectively,as compared to their 2004 showing of seven and 11,which eventually helped push up their final tally. In 2004,the Sena- BJP held 25 of the 26 seats in the region,which has now slipped down to nine.

In addition,Chavan,who won by over one lakh votes from Bhokar,also managed to ensure the victory of all eight Congress- NCP nominees from his Nanded district,except in Naigaon,where NCP rebel Vasantrao Chavan managed to defeat the NCPs Srinivas Deshmukh Gorthekar.

Chavan further managed to strengthen his claim over the top post due to the victory of the Congress in the Assembly and the previous Lok Sabha polls where the party managed to win 17 of the 48 seats,his proximity to Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi,non-controversial image and support from party legislators and independents who have thrown in their lot with the Congress-NCP. However,Chavan will have a balancing act to do with the NCP,as NCP leaders allege that he has been sitting on their proposals.

Though Chavan was the frontrunner for the chief ministers post,a section of MLAs loyal to former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and industries minister Narayan Rane wanted either of the two at the helm in the state to counter the aggressive MNS,which is trying to take over the opposition space from the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance.

However,Deshmukhs resignation as chief minister in the wake of the 26/11 terror attacks and subsequent elevation to central politics as the union heavy industries minister,his brother Dilipraos selection as a Cabinet minister in the outgoing dispensation,and his son Amits election as a MLA from the Latur city constituency may have gone against Deshmukh.

On the other hand,Rane,who has tried to bury his differences with Deshmukh and other senior Congress leaders,saw his clout being eroded after his loyalists Ravi Phatak Kankavali,Ganpat Kadam Rajapur and Rajendra Raut Barshi lost the polls. Rane supporters Jaywantrao Jagtap,who was elected as a Sena MLA in 2004,lost from his Karmala constituency as a Samajwadi Party SP candidate to the NCPs Shyamal Bagal and former Congress MLA Shahajibapu Patil lost to veteran Peasants and Workers Party PWP leader Ganpatrao Deshmukh in Sangola. Prakash Patil Bharsakhale,who contested as an independent from Akot after his Daryapur constituency was reserved,also lost the polls,denting Ranes plans to stake a strong claim for the top post. However,Ranes supporters Vinayak Nimhan Shivajinagar,Kalidas Kolambkar Wadala,and Manikrao Kokate Sinnar managed to get elected to the legislature.

Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee MPCC president Manikrao Thakre said the Congress-NCP would meet Governor S C Jamir to stake their claim to form the government after the NCP legislature party meets on Monday to elect its nominee for the post of Deputy Chief Minister. Thakre added that the meeting with the Governor would be decided after consultation with the NCP.

Uncle Thackeray still Bhishma on bed of arrows

MUMBAI: Three years ago,when Raj Thackeray quit

Shiv Sena and formed MNS,he had said that if he were to sketch his uncle and Sena chief Bal Thackeray,he would portray him like Bhishma Pitamaha on the bed of arrows. Now,after playing spoiler for the Senas ambitions this time,the MNS chief said,That is how I would draw him today. Raj,who is also a cartoonistwas quoted in an interview published in a local newspaper. PTI