‘Good monsoon to help Cong in polls’
Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan is optimistic that a good monsoon and governance will help the Congress in increasing its numbers in the coming Lok Sabha elections.
He added that he does not think BJP’s election campaign committee chief Narendra Modi would be a factor in Maharashtra.
Like the NCP, the Congress too is contemplating fielding some of its ministers in Maharashtra in the Lok Sabha elections.
After handling the draught situation in the state, a confident Maharashtra chief minister sees good prospects for the UPA in the electoral battle.
But he has no plans to advance the Assembly polls despite good rains, which have assured a good agriculture production in 2013. However, bad economic situations, fall in manufacturing sector and the falling rupee could mar the UPA’s chances. The Congress will be fighting the polls with Sharad Pawar-led NCP in the state. As per the seat sharing arrangement, the Congress will fight 26 and the NCP will contest 22 Lok Sabha seats in the state. This time, the two parties could exchange some seats.
The coordination committee of the Congress-NCP combine is expected to meet in this regard in the coming days.
Responding to a question, he did not rule out the possibility of some Congress ministers in the state being fielded in the Lok Sabha polls.
The Congress will review its position in nine Lok Sabha seats it had lost in the 2009 polls.
He spoke of a proposal of `2000 crore package for Vidarbha which has witnessed unprecedented rains leading to massive losses due to damaged crops and collapsed houses.
Asked about a Pakistani diplomat acknowledging the presence in Pakistan of one of India’s most wanted terrorists Dawood Ibrahim and then making a U-turn, Mr Chavan said that: “everyone knows where the fugitive is staying and the issue is in the jurisdiction of central government which will take appropriate measures”.
Dawood is wanted in connection to the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts.
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