Established tradition holds that largest party in alliance chooses CM: Prithviraj Chavan

"Haryana and Maharashtra are not comparable. If you look at the Lok Sabha poll results, Haryana had a 5-5 result (five seats to the Congress and five to the BJP), but in Maharashtra we (MVA) had 65 per cent 35 per cent result. There is a huge difference," Chavan, who was the Maharashtra chief minister between November 2010 to September 2014, said.

Prabhav Anand 10 November 2024 09:34

Senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan expressed strong confidence on November 10, that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition will secure a majority in the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections.

Speaking with PTI, Chavan highlighted the "time-honored" tradition whereby the party winning the most seats within an alliance earns the right to nominate the Chief Minister.

Addressing speculations that Congress' recent performance in Haryana might hinder the MVA's momentum in Maharashtra, Chavan dismissed such views as "BJP propaganda," arguing that Haryana's political dynamics differ vastly from Maharashtra’s.

He said that in the last Lok Sabha elections, Maharashtra witnessed a more favorable result for MVA, with a 65-35 percent split in their favor, which contrasts with the more balanced 5-5 outcome between Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Haryana.

When asked about who would be selected as Chief Minister if the MVA assumes power, Chavan stated, "The largest party generally names the CM. I don’t see why it should be any different now."

However, he acknowledged that if MVA leaders wish to establish a new arrangement, they have the flexibility to do so.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar has also reiterated this custom, reinforcing the position of the largest party’s right to decide on the CM post.

Asked about his own candidacy for the Chief Minister's role, Chavan dismissed it as premature, emphasizing that the current focus is on winning the election.

Chavan also dispelled notions of infighting among MVA members—Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (SP)—over seat-sharing.

He highlighted that they have successfully reached an agreement on nearly all 288 seats, with only a few minor contests and isolated cases of rebel candidates.

He detailed MVA’s key campaign promises, unveiled recently with support from Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leaders, including Rahul Gandhi.

Among these commitments are monthly allowances for women, enhanced support for farmers, and provisions for unemployed youth. The coalition also pledged to conduct a caste survey in Maharashtra if elected.

In response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks on unity, Chavan argued that BJP’s rhetoric reflects a sense of desperation.

He criticized the focus on communal issues rather than developmental goals, suggesting it was an attempt to divert attention from the government's shortcomings in addressing pressing concerns like inflation, unemployment, and corruption.

Chavan is contesting for a third term from South Karad, with the MVA coalition—comprising Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and Sharad Pawar's faction of the NCP—standing in opposition to the ruling Mahayuti alliance of the BJP, Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction.

The Maharashtra Assembly election, set for November 20, will determine the political landscape of the state as it nears the end of its current term.