No safe seat for Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan

NEW DELHI: Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan is struggling to find a safe seat for himself in the forthcoming assembly polls. His party is negotiating with state Congress leaders and NCP to prevent its chief minister from undergoing the ignominy of not contesting or being routed in the contest.

According to AICC sources, Chavan, a member of the Legislative Council, has conveyed to the high command his preference to contest the Karad (South) assembly segment, one of the safest Congress seats.

But Congress veteran Vilas Kakaa Patil, who represents the seat for over 20 years, has resisted the move. Patil has conveyed to party leaders that if the seat his given to the CM, he would contest as a rebel. Adding to Chavan's problem is NCP's reluctance to back the CM.

Chavan has a tense relationship with NCP, which represents the Satara Lok Sabha under which Karad (South) falls. Chavan prefers Karad (South) as the Satara Lok Sabha seat (earlier called Karad) was the stronghold of the Chavan family and he had represented it in 1998. However, Chavan was defeated by an NCP candidate in 1999, after Congress split and NCP was formed. Chavan has never fought an election, thereafter. In the May Lok Sabha poll, NCP retained Satara.

"We are trying to persuade Vilasrao Kakka Patil to let Chavan contest the seat this time. But he (Patil) is resisting and even NCP prefers him. We are still trying to get the seat for the CM," said an AICC functionary.

NCP is not open to even Chavan's second preference, Man, in neighboring Madha district, currently with the Congress ally. AICC's search for getting Chavan a safe seat comes at a time when announcement of candidates of all major parties have been unusually delayed.

"The unprecedented tension in BJP-Shiv Sena alliance is being closely watched. If the two fight without an alliance, then it will open up many new equations. That is why NCP too is on a wait-and-watch mood," said a Congress leader.