Shinde tipped to replace Deshmukh after session
The Congress is set to take a decision on replacing Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh within a week’s time.
By Aarthi Ramachandran, TNN |
NEW DELHI: The Congress is set to take a decision on replacing Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh within a week���s time. Power minister Sushilkumar Shinde is tipped to take over from him amidst signs that the party will wait until the Maharashtra Assembly passes the state Appropriation Bills by April 11-12.
Party sources indicated that Congress president Sonia Gandhi had already taken a decision on this count and external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee had visited the state last month to take stock of the situation there. The Congress, however, is keeping mum on question of a change in Maharashtra after Ms Gandhi ���everybody is very stable��� comment on Sunday in reply to a question about Mr Deshmukh���s fate. The remarks are now being seen a more general vein or as being in reply to questions about the fate of the Congress-led government in the state.
Speculation about Mr Deshmukh���s removal had come to fore on Monday after external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee and defence minister AK Antony, went to 10 Janpath, Ms Gandhi���s residence, for a meeting. There were also reports that the Congress had set up a committee to decide on the question of who will take Mr Deshmukh���s, place which the party denied.
However, sources said that an informal exercise to ���review��� the working of the state government might be on.
Movements related to Maharashtra within the Congress came a day after a reshuffle of the council of ministers saw party leader Jairam Ramesh being given additional charge as minister of state of the power ministry.
This move is being viewed as an initial step in the ���replace Deshmukh project��� with Mr Shinde expected to be sent to Maharashtra. Along with Mr Shinde, Mr Narayan Rane, who joined the party from the Shiv Sena, is also keen for the top job.
The Congress has been under pressure to give its Maharashtra wing a fresh coat of paint in the aftermath of the anti-North Indian campaign launched by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and vociferously echoed by the Shiv Sena. The Congress has come out as strongly backing the ���migrants��� in this debate and Mr Deshmukh is seen as the face of this stand.
There have been complaints from within the ranks of the Congress itself on how the party stands to lose if it gives away the ���Marathi manoos��� plank to the opposition parties. Mr Shinde���s entry into political field at this time might therefore help the party re-establish its image while Ms Gandhi takes the line that the Congress is against those touting an anti-migrants plank.
Party sources indicated that Congress president Sonia Gandhi had already taken a decision on this count and external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee had visited the state last month to take stock of the situation there. The Congress, however, is keeping mum on question of a change in Maharashtra after Ms Gandhi ���everybody is very stable��� comment on Sunday in reply to a question about Mr Deshmukh���s fate. The remarks are now being seen a more general vein or as being in reply to questions about the fate of the Congress-led government in the state.
Speculation about Mr Deshmukh���s removal had come to fore on Monday after external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee and defence minister AK Antony, went to 10 Janpath, Ms Gandhi���s residence, for a meeting. There were also reports that the Congress had set up a committee to decide on the question of who will take Mr Deshmukh���s, place which the party denied.
However, sources said that an informal exercise to ���review��� the working of the state government might be on.
Movements related to Maharashtra within the Congress came a day after a reshuffle of the council of ministers saw party leader Jairam Ramesh being given additional charge as minister of state of the power ministry.
This move is being viewed as an initial step in the ���replace Deshmukh project��� with Mr Shinde expected to be sent to Maharashtra. Along with Mr Shinde, Mr Narayan Rane, who joined the party from the Shiv Sena, is also keen for the top job.
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However, the Congress seems to be factoring in Mr Shinde���s Dalit identity, his political management skills and his ability to pacify Congressmen who have been sidelined by the Deshmukh regime as the main reasons for selecting him as the next Maharashtra CM.The Congress has been under pressure to give its Maharashtra wing a fresh coat of paint in the aftermath of the anti-North Indian campaign launched by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and vociferously echoed by the Shiv Sena. The Congress has come out as strongly backing the ���migrants��� in this debate and Mr Deshmukh is seen as the face of this stand.
There have been complaints from within the ranks of the Congress itself on how the party stands to lose if it gives away the ���Marathi manoos��� plank to the opposition parties. Mr Shinde���s entry into political field at this time might therefore help the party re-establish its image while Ms Gandhi takes the line that the Congress is against those touting an anti-migrants plank.
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