Ashok Chavan emerges as big leader for Congress
Has proved mettle by winning on home turf even with saffron winds blowing around.
Mumbai: With Congress winning the Nanded-Waghala Municipal Corporation polls with a big margin, its state chief Ashok Chavan’s position has strengthened in the party. This is the second big victory for the Congress carved out by Ashok Chavan at his home turf, Nanded. Earlier, in 2014, Mr Chavan had managed to win two Lok Sabha seats for the party there at a time when other places were caught under the Modi effect.
Now, taking everyone by surprise, Mr Chavan is being credited for single-handedly winning the local body polls when all the other polls in the state were won by the BJP. The Congress president has given befitting reply to BJP as well as his detractors in the party. Congress MP Rajiv Satav, Ashok Gehlot and many other Congress leaders congratulated Chavan for the success. The sources in the party said that Mr Chavan has made his position even stronger in the party despite the allegations on him in the Adarsh scam.
After Congress drubbing in Lok Sabha polls, Ashok Chavan was given the responsibility of the party as the state president despite opposition from a few leaders. Congress did not do well in any of the local bodies that went to poll after Lok Sabha. However, he proved himself in Nanded by giving the much needed victory for the Congress. “There is no doubt that Ashok Chavan has crafted the victory for the Congress. He has not only proved his political potential but his hold on his home turf as well,” a Congress leader said.
Recently, Mr Chavan’s main competitor Narayan Rane left the party and formed his own political outfit. Mr Rane has declared his support to BJP led NDA and had alleged that Mr Chavan was dictating the terms to which the former remained silent. Former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan was also among the competitors of Ashok Chavan.
Prithviraj Chavan was made the chief minister of the state in place of Ashok Chavan when his name was linked to the Adarsh scam.
However, the party has sidelined Prithviraj Chavan after the party’s losing streak in Lok Sabha as well as Assembly polls under his leadership.