Mumbai: In an indication that running the three-party government would be a tightrope walk for chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, senior Congress leader Ashok Chavan said on Sunday that his party was free to make its own decisions if the common minimum programme (CMP) is not followed.
“The moment we realise that there is any deviation from the common minimum programme, we will not hesitate to take our own decisions. The party leadership should make sure that the Congress does not remain neglected in the three-party alliance government and there is proper coordination am-ong parties,” said Mr Chavan, who served as Maharashtra’s chief minister between 2008 and 2010.
The three constituents of the MVA government — Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress — have prepared a common minimum programme to avoid ideological differences while running the coalition
government.
The former chief minister also said that the Congress should strike a balance between the experienced and young leaders in running the ministries. His statement assumes significance on the backdrop of fierce competition within the party to grab Cabinet berths.
The Congress has already nominated state party chief Babasaheb Thorat and senior leader Nitin Raut for the state Cabinet. Both leaders were sworn-in as ministers in a grand ceremony at Shivaji Park on November 28. Moreover, another senior leader, Nana Patole, has been appointed as the speaker in the 288-member Vidhan Sabha.
Mr Chavan was considered a frontrunner for a Cabinet berth from the Congress quota. But his name was dropped at the last moment, allegedly due to the alleged ‘Adarsh’ scam inquiry.
There have been a lot of speculations within the party as to who would be inducted into the Uddhav Thackeray-led Cabinet. One section of the party has been demanding that the party must give more opportunities to younger leaders, instead of banking only on veterans.
Apart from Mr Chavan, the party has another former chief minister, Prithviraj Chavan, in its ranks.
“They should not be made to work as mere ministers and others should be given a chance,” said a Congress party insider.
