Mumbai: Maharashtra Industries Minister Ashok Chavan will be the new Chief Minister of Maharashtra, the Congress announced on Friday evening.
"Congress president (Sonia Gandhi) has communicated that Ashok Chavan will be the leader of the legislature party," External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee announced in Mumbai.
Chavan, 50, represents Mudkhed constituency in the Assembly. He was a Member of Parliament for two years from 1987-89 and was elected to the Assembly from 1999.
"The aam aadmi (common man) is not concerned with who is Chief Minister or the Deputy Chief Minister. They just want the administration to be strong," said Chavan after being selected for the post.
"It's a challenge, and I accept this challenge," said Chavan, adding that it was important for his government "to deliver".
Saying "this is not the time to celebrate", he said: "security will be the topmost priority" and he will do everything to strengthen the state police force so that carnages of the kind that occurred last week were not repeated.
"The government will take all steps necessary to ensure safety of the people."
Rane revolts against new CM, Congress
The Congress announcement was marked by embarrassment for the Congress as senior party leader Narayan Rane refused to work under Chavan and revolted against the party.
Rane’s name was doing the rounds for the Chief Minister’s post, but he was sidelined because of his past membership of the Shiv Sena. He has been a bitter critic of Vilasrao Desmukh, who resigned as Chief Minter taking moral responsibility for the Mumbai terror attacks.
“Ashok Chavan doesn’t doesn't deserve to be in the race. He cannot handle even his ministry, he can't be my competitor for the CM's post,” said Rane in Mumbai.
"I am opting out of the Chief Ministerial race," said Rane, accusing the Congress high command of breaking its promise of making him the CM. "I don't trust even Sonia Gandhi anymore," he said.
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Earlier in the day NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal was on Friday named as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. "Our state legislature party has decided that Chhagan Bhujbal will be the leader," said NCP chief and Union Agriculture Minister Pawar.
Chavan emerged as the frontrunner for Chief Minister as Congress central observers Mukherjee and A K Antony finalised their shortlist after interviewing party legislators in Mumbai on Thursday night. The final choice was left to party chief Sonia Gandhi.
Bhujbal, 61, succeeded R R Patil, resigned owning moral responsibility for the Mumbai terror attack. Bhujbal was the Deputy Chief Minister in the first Congress-NCP government sworn-in in 1999.
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