Although several leaders from the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) were keen that he should contest Lok Sabha bypolls for Satara constituency, former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan has refused the offer and preferred to contest assembly elections. The Congress is expected to announce the decision over the candidature on Tuesday.
Leaders from Congress and NCP were keen on fielding Chavan in Satara bypolls, considering the fight to be crucial in the backdrop of sitting NCP MP Udayanraje Bhosale quitting party ahead of Assembly polls. Party leadership had asked Chavan if he would contest. The former chief minister tried to convince the party leadership to pursue NCP to field candidate as it has been fighting the seat since 1999.
“Chavan conveyed to the party high command that his workers were of the opinion that he should fight the Assembly polls. Party president Sonia Gandhi had a word with NCP chief Sharad Pawar again on Sunday and the final decision is expected to be taken on Tuesday. The Congress is likely to include Chavan’s name on the second list of candidates to be announced on Wednesday,” said a Congress leader.
The leader said Chavan also convinced the leadership that he was sure about the whole-hearted support from the NCP, especially at the time when there was bitterness in the NCP over Sharad Pawar being named by the ED in MSC Bank case. The investigation into the issue had started during Chavan’s tenure as chief minister and the NCP was not happy about the same at that time.
{{/usCountry}}The leader said Chavan also convinced the leadership that he was sure about the whole-hearted support from the NCP, especially at the time when there was bitterness in the NCP over Sharad Pawar being named by the ED in MSC Bank case. The investigation into the issue had started during Chavan’s tenure as chief minister and the NCP was not happy about the same at that time.
{{/usCountry}}Chavan’s candidature was pushed by party leaders as it could help it in adding a seat to its thin tally of MPs in parliament. “The decision is expected to be announced by the party leadership on Tuesday,” Chavan said.
The Satara bypolls were necessitated after sitting NCP MP and Chhatrapati Shivaji’s 13th descendent Udayanaraje Bhosale joined the BJP a few days ago. If the Congress refuses to contest the bypolls, the NCP is likely to field its former MP and Sikkim’s former governor Shrinivas Patil from the constituency.
Meanwhile, the Congress’s Central Election Committee led by party president Sonia Gandhi cleared the remaining names of the party candidates during its meeting on Monday in Delhi. The party is expected to get at least 10 more seats in seat sharing pact with NCP and smaller allies. The official announcement of the alliance is expected on October 2 in Mumbai.