Maha crisis: Will Chavan accept Ajit Pawar`s resignation?

Maharashtra CM Prithviraj will on Thursday hold a crucial meet with the Congress legislators to review the situation in the wake of Ajit pawar’s resignation as Deputy Chief Minister.

Zeenews Bureau

Mumbai: In the backdrop of a political crisis facing the Congress-NCP government in Maharashtra, state’s Chief Minister Prithviraj will on Thursday hold a crucial meet with the party legislators to review the situation in the wake of Ajit pawar’s resignation as Deputy Chief Minister. The crucial meet has been convened by the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC). "All legislators have been asked to attend Thursday’s meeting which will be held at `Varsha`, the Chief Minister`s official residence," MPCC chief Manikrao Thakre told reporters yesterday. He said that he requested Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Madhukar Pichad to restrain his party workers from burning posters of Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and to stop staging agitations. Speaking on the current political crisis in the state he said, "The whole matter is about the NCP. We are watching the developments as an audience," he added. He rubbished reports saying that no complaints have been received to replace Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan with anybody else. However, if sources are to be believed Chavan may soon be replaced as the state’s chief minister in the next six months. With Ajit Pawar not willing to withdraw his resignation, it is now up to Congres to take a sdecision about leadership in the state. However at the moment, Congress is unwilling to give in to NCP`s demand soon but the ruling party may be compelled to take some tough decisions in order to rebuild ties with NCP. Chavan, who was a MP and the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs before he replaced Ashok Chavan as the chief minister of the state, is likely to be brought back to the Centre. The NCP leaders have also been upset with Chavan’s style of working. The NCP maintained that it was not on them, but up to the Congress to decide on the whether there would be a leadership change in Maharashtra. Ajit Pawar`s resignation is also seen as a fight for supremacy in the Maharashtra unit of the NCP. Ajit Pawar, who is NCP chief Sharad Pawar`s nephew, was seen as his heir apparent and is credited with building the party`s base in the state. But after Sharad Pawar`s daughter Supriya Sule entered politics and became an MP, Ajit`s relations with the NCP chief have deteriorated and his resignation is an attempt to show the leadership that he still commands the loyalty of the party workers and MLAs in the state. Sharad Pawar is reported to be not happy with his resignation. Moreover, the NCP-Congress ties have been going through a roller coaster ride for the last few months as the former was against Prithviraj Chavan being made the chief minister as he is considered an outsider in state politics. NCP leader and Union Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Minister Praful Patel yesterday said that there will be no Deputy Chief Minister`s post for the NCP in Maharashtra anymore and clarified that his party was not keen on keeping the post. With Agency Inputs