’I am in for a long haul’

Ashok Chavan says he will now have a full tenure as Maharashtra chief minister to work for the state

'I am in for a long haul'

Ashok Chavan says he will now have a full tenure asu00a0 Maharashtra chief minister to work for the state

Having booked a seat for himself in the saddle at Maharashtra, Ashok Chavan played faced the media in New Delhi like a seasoned batsman.

Chavan, had his pitch cleared after the former incumbent Vilasrao Deshmukh and NCP leader Narayan Rane fell out of the race and the Congress high command decided to continue with Chavan.

Congress' main ally in the western state, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), is yet to elect a leader for its legislature party.

Flanked by President Pratibha Patil's son Rajendra Shekhawat, who got elected from Amravati, Chavan was confident fielding a volley of questions at a media interaction that lasted 20 minutes.

He made it clear that the Congress would keep key portfolios. "Our strength is more now (than 1999). Aankde badal chuke hain. (The numbers have changed in our favour)," said Chavan.

In the 288-seat assembly, the ruling Congress-NCP bagged 144 seats Congress 81 and NCP 63. In the previous assembly, the Congress had 69 and the NCP 71 members.

Chavan said all formalities of government formation would be finalized once the NCP elects its legislature party leader at the party meeting, which is scheduled to be held on Monday.

"The government formation will be smooth. I don't see any problems in it. We have been working as a coalition for long enough now," Chavan said when asked if he saw any trouble in negotiating portfolios with the NCP.

When asked whether the NCP should merge with Congress he said it was for the former to decide.

He also vehemently denied taking support of Raj Thackeray and his Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).

Chavan said his second term "is more challenging" and has set priorities like improving the power sector and economic welfare of farmers in the state and improving infrastructure in Mumbai.

On Narayan Rane, a strong contender for the chief minister's chair, Chavan said: "He gave me a bouquet and I am taking it back with me to Mumbai in my flight."

During his stay in the national capital, Chavan met several leaders including President Pratibha Patil, former union home minister Shivraj Patil, Defence Minister AK Antony, who is in charge of the Congress affairs in the state and party general secretary Digvijay Singh.

Chavan also said that the date for the swearing-in ceremony has not been decided yet.

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