Cong should be ready to contest 2014 election alone, says Chavan

Chief minister Prthiviraj Chavan has asked party leaders, who want the Congress to fight the 2014 polls without breaking the alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party, to be prepared to meet any political eventuality.

Chief minister Prthiviraj Chavan has asked party leaders, who want the Congress to fight the 2014 polls without breaking the alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party, to be prepared to meet any political eventuality.

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Later in the day, Chavan also told mediapersons that he was authorised to take a call to sever ties with the ally. "The high command will take a decision on the alliance," said Chavan, after a day-long meeting of the Congress delegates on Wednesday.

Although the CM avoided any direct comments about the uneasy alliance, other party leaders expressed their desire to go solo in the 2014 polls.

Sources in the Congress said that Chavan was not willing to confront the NCP further and displease the Congress high command at a time when the two parties have already had enough disagreements over the irrigation scam and the special economic zone exit policy, which NCP ministers passed in the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday after much protests.

Chavan even apologised to NCP chief Sharad Pawar for making a comment on Congress snapping ties with NCP ahead of the Gujarat assembly polls. "I apologise for making such a hasty statement. I was completely unaware of the context," he said.

Chavan told leaders to work hard to ensure that government polices reach the common man and thus seek political advantage. "Every party has a right to expand its base," he said.