Following the Adarsh controversy, unrest prevails not only in the Congress, but also in its alliance partner, the Nationalist Congress Party. While it has become almost inevitable that chief minister Ashok Chavan’s involvement in the Adarsh Society scam will cost him his post, speculation is rife that the NCP will also be looking to replace the deputy chief minister.
According to sources within the NCP, the change will be made ahead of the Winter Session, in case Mr Chavan’s resignation is accepted by the Congress high command. Party president Sharad Pawar’s nephew Ajit Pawar is currently the favourite to replace Mr Chhagan Bhujbal as deputy CM.
Talks had been on for some time on whether that Mr Bhujbal should be called to Delhi by party president Mr Pawar to make way for Mr Ajit Pawar. The current situation has thrown open an opportunity for any changes that the party high command might have in mind, observed a senior leader of the party.
However, Mr Bhujbal downplayed the developments, saying, “It is an internal issue of the Congress; they will take a call on the situation and decide.”
However, sources said that the NCP high command would make the decision on changing the leadership in the state depending on who replaces Mr Chavan and when. “Ajit Pawar would not like to take up the deputy CM’s post if Narayan Rane is made the CM. But if Sushilkumar Shinde or Vilasrao Deshmukh becomes the CM, there is a high chance that Ajit Pawar may be made the deputy CM,” a senior NCP leader said.
The leader also said that the NCP is not in favour of either Prithviraj Chavan or Mukul Vasnik, as neither is in touch with the current politics in the state.