A major reshuffle is on cards in the Democratic Frontgovernment in Maharashtra even as there were reports that Chief Minister,Prithviraj Chavan may be replaced. Chavan, who took over the reins of the Stateon November 11, 2010 in the wake of resignation of Ashok Chavan after theAdarsh scandal, himself, has, however, denied reports that a leadership changewas on cards.
Over the last few days there have been talks in politicalcircles that Chavan, who was earlier the Minister of State in the PrimeMinister's Office, may be called back to the Centre, but one thing is clearthat a major reshuffle was on cards.
A reshuffle in the council-of-ministers is expected beforethe Nagpur winter session of the Maharashtra Legislature -- an indication thatcame from Chavan himself. Even Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar of the NCP toohas said that the Congress should intimate the date and that his party wasready.
The reports about leadership change gained momentum afterKonkan strongman and Industries Minister Narayan Rane last week met CongressPresident and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi.
“For quite some time there has been reports that aleadership change and reshuffle is on cards, but now it appears that either ofthe two would happen,” a senior Democratic Front functionary said, adding thatboth the parties are gearing up for 2004 hustings.
Besides Rane, others who are in race for the top post areRevenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat, Agriculture Minister RadhakrishnaVikhe-Patil, Forests Minister Dr Patangrao Kadam and Parliamentary AffairsMinister Harshawardhan Patil.
Of all the probables, Rane is the most experienced as he hadhandled portfolios like Revenue and Industries besides being the Chief Ministerbriefly during the erstwhile Shiv Sena-BJP saffron regime.
Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee President ManikraoThakre too is to be replaced in the near future, while a new Mumbai Congresschief too has to be appointed -- as senior Congressman Kripashankar Singh hadto resign from the post of the city Congress chief in the wake of his name figuringin a case of assets disproportionate to known sources of income.
For the post of state Congress chief, the name of EmploymentGuarantee Scheme, Dr Nitin Raut besides Rane are probables.
As far as the reshuffle was concerned, it was necessary asthe names of some of the ministers were embroiled in controversies -- whileSchool Education Minister Rajendra Darda (Congress) faces the flak for the coalscam, his NCP colleages -- Chhagan Bhujbal has been accused by BJP of beinginvolved in an FSI scam. Water Resources Minister Sunil Tatkare too facesallegations of money laundering and floating fake companies.
