5 Dec :Ashok Chavan was on Friday named Maharashtra’s new Chief Minister in place of Vilasrao Deshmukh, who was eased out of office in the wake of the Mumbai terror strikes while NCP named Chhagan Bhujbal as the Deputy Chief Minister.
"I don’t trust even Sonia Gandhi anymore", the former Shiv Sainik said letting loose a barrage of attack on her and other leaders at a hurriedly-called press conference in Mumbai, obviously sensing his ensuing loss in the chief ministerial race.
50-year-old Chavan, the son of late Union Home Minister S B Chavan, and currently the Industries Minister, was nominated the leader of the Congress Legislature Party by Gandhi, ending days of political drama in the wake of Deshmukhk’s oustern in the aftermath of Mumbai terror atacks.
The NCP also announced today that Chagan Bhujbal will be the deputy Chief Minister in place of R R Patil.Deshmukh and Patil have resigned owning moral responsibility for last week’s terror attacks.But minutes before the announcement of Chavan’s nomination, Revenue Minister Rane raised a banner of revolt in Mumbai, attacking the Congress leadership accusing it of reneging on a promise to make him the chief minister.
Rane, who joined Congress in 2005 after three decades in Shiv Sena, ridiculed both Chavan and Deshmukh and remarked "I don’t trust even Sonia Gandhi anymore.""Chavan cannot be my competitor. My name should have been declared by the Congress. Sending observers (to Mumbai) was a drama which was not not necessary," he said.
Chavan will be creating a record of sorts by becoming the first son of a former chief minister to occupy the top political post in the state.