Poll post-mortem begins: Chavan, Sonia discuss rout

Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi on Saturday, even as the party began a post-mortem of its rout in the recent civic and district council elections.

Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi on Saturday, even as the party began a post-mortem of its rout in the recent civic and district council elections.

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"The party top brass is not sure if the Congress will remain the single largest party in the state as it was after the 2009 assembly polls. The opposition Sena-BJP may pose a tough challenge in the next assembly elections," said a top state Congress functionary.

In his meeting with Gandhi, Chavan is learnt to have blamed the string of corruption cases and scams for the party's rout in the municipal council and corporation elections in Maharashtra.

The meeting between the party president and the chief minister also assumes significance in the backdrop of the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in the state. The meeting also comes at time when there are political corridors are abuzz with talks of a reshuffle in the Congress' team of ministers as well as in the party's state unit.

Chief minister Chavan said the party would soon decide on new city Congress president. The post was vacated by Kripashankar Singh after he was named in a disproportionate assets case. When asked if there would be other organisational changes, Chavan said: "I won't rule out any thing as of now."

He, however, ruled out any immediate reshuffle among Congress ministers as the budget session of the state legislature is to be held from March 15.

Meanwhile, industries minister Narayan Rane also called on Gandhi. Rane is one of the aspirants for chief minister's post.