Long-standing practice gives largest alliance party right to name CM: Prithviraj Chavan

Mumbai, Nov 10 (PTI) Confident of the MVA getting a majority in the Maharashtra Assembly polls, senior Congress leader and former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Sunday asserted that it is a "time-honoured" practice" that the party that emerges as the largest within an alliance gets to name the CM.

In an interview with PTI, Chavan (78) also dismissed as "BJP propaganda" suggestions that the Congress' Haryana loss had damaged the opposition alliance's prospects in Maharashtra and taken away the momentum.

"Haryana and Maharashtra are not comparable. If you look at the Lok Sabha poll results, Haryana had a 5-5 result (five seats to the Congress and five to the BJP), but in Maharashtra we (MVA) had 65 per cent 35 per cent result. There is a huge difference," Chavan, who was the Maharashtra chief minister between November 2010 to September 2014, said.

He also asserted that the social dynamics of Haryana are different, and in any case each of Maharashtra's multiple region has its own social complexion.

On who would be the chief minister if the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comes to power, Chavan said, "It is a time-honoured practice that the largest party (post-polls) gets to name the CM. I don't see why it should be different this time. But this time if the three parties together want to change the formula they are free to do that. Leaders can do anything they want." Chavan pointed out that NCP (SCP) leader Sahrad Pawar has also stated that the party with the highest number of seats among the alliance partners gets to decide on the CM.

Asked if he is in the running for the post of chief minister, Chavan said, "That is a ridiculous question. Don't ask that, first you have to win the election. Our priority is to win the election. As I said, Mr. Pawar has stated the largest party will get to name the CM." Chavan also dismissed talk of bickering among MVA constituents -- Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SCP) -- over seat-sharing, saying the agreement on nearly all the 288 seats was a "remarkable achievement".

"We are talking about 288 seats primarily between three parties and some other parties as well. There are only 3-4 places where two parties are contesting against each other and there are some rebel candidates which cannot be helped," he told PTI.

"Rebel candidates being there is not bickering. The MVA is broadly united," Chavan said.

He said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders discussed and then released the guarantees for Maharashtra.

"We did all the pluses and minuses, we did all the pros and cons, we discussed and then all the parties came to an agreement," he said when asked if the guarantees made by the MVA were financially viable.

The MVA alliance last week unveiled its guarantees, promising Rs 3,000 per month and free travel on state transport buses for women in Maharashtra.

Under the Krishi Sammruddhi Yojana, farmers will get loan waiver up to Rs 3 lakh and Rs 50,000 as an incentive for regular repayment of crop loans, the Shiv Sena (UBT)-NCP(SP)-Congress alliance announced ahead of the November 20 assembly elections.

Allowance of Rs 4,000 per month for unemployed youth, health insurance up to Rs 25 lakh and free medicines were the other "guarantees" announced at a gathering addressed by top MVA leaders at the BKC ground in Mumbai.

The MVA has also promised to conduct a caste survey in the state if elected to power.

On how many seats the MVA was likely to get, Chavan said he cannot predict numbers but was confident that the MVA would get a majority.

On Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'ek rahenge to safe rahenge (united we remain safe)' remarks, Chavan said the BJP was making such statements as it was "desperate" and "panicky".

"Ajit Pawar has attacked the PM's statement that this will not work in Maharashtra. They are panicky. Why is he trying to communalise the election and not sticking to development (conversation). He has failed in development that is why he is doing that," the Congress leader claimed.

Chavan said the key issues in the Maharashtra polls were unemployment, inflation, farmers woes, attack on Constitution and corruption.

Chavan is eyeing a third term in the Maharashtra Assembly from South Karad. He has also been a member of the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and the legislative council.

The ruling Mahayuti alliance comprises Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, the BJP and Ajit Pawar-led NCP. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) consists of the Congress, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP).

Polling for the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly will be held on November 20. The votes will be counted on November 23, a day before the current Maharashtra Assembly completes its term. PTI