Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan’s 65th birthday on Thursday turned out to be a low-key affair, especially because the CM is under fire for his alleged role in appointment of the chief vigilance commissioner (CVC), and a spectrum deal between the government and a private company.
Chavan
is facing heat in the ongoing budget session of the state legislature in Mumbai. The Opposition demanded his resignation and allowed the legislature to run only when he agreed to make a statement in the CVC case.
On his birthday, Chavan received both bouquets and brickbats. When he entered the Vidhan Bhavan on Thursday morning, legislators from Konkan presented him with a banner that protested against the Jaitapur nuclear power project.
However, Congress legislator Nilesh Parvekar forced Chavan to cut a cake brought by him.
When he reached his office, some legislators, ministers and Congress officials wished him with flowers. Both legislative houses greeted him on the occasion when the day’s proceedings started.
Chavan’s well-wishers and Congress workers were restrained in celebrating the birthday. As directed by the CM himself, the workers did not put up illegal hoardings to greet him. They hired authorised billboards to express their feelings.
Acting on Chavan’s appeal to his workers to contribute to the CM’s Welfare Fund, well-wishers and supporters had contributed Rs. 4 lakh till Thursday evening, said sources from the chief minister’s office.
On the other hand, the state Congress did some constructive work. The committees ensured that physically-challenged people were given tricycles.