Chavan fate to be decided after Obama trip

The Congress brass is likely to take a decision on Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan’s continuance in office only after US President Barack Obama’s India visit ends on November 9.

Apart from Obama’s visit, the TINA factor (ie, there is no alternative) is said to be helping the CM, who had offered to resign three days ago after the Adarsh Housing Society scam broke.

Sources said Chavan has handed over a report to the party brass detailing the involvement of other party bigwigs in a bid to clear the taint on him. The CM, who is expected to attend the AICC session on Tuesday, is understood to have communicated to a senior leader that it was okay with him if the high command decided to sack him but added the matter may not end there.

Sources said Chavan implied that he had acted based on orders from (heavy industries minister) Vilasrao Deshmukh, who was forced to quit as chief minister in the wake of 26/ 11.

The Deshmukh camp, in turn, suspects Chavan furnished certain documents to select journalists on Sunday to drag him into the controversy. Deshmukh also hit back through the media, alleging that Chavan had agreed to amend certain bye- laws when he was revenue minister.

According to sources, the party high command has issued a gag order against both leaders.

Amid these developments, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday held consultations with finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and defence minister A. K. Atnony, who are probing the scam. Sources said developments in Maharashtra and Tuesday’s AICC session were discussed at the meeting.

Meanwhile, Lok Sabha MP from Mumbai North and Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam has alleged the involvement of Shiv Sena and NDA ministers in the scam.

He demanded an inquiry and claimed the first clearance for the project was given by Shiv Sena ministers in the NDA government in 1999. Then the environment minister was Sena leader Suresh Prabhu while the defence minister was George Fernandes.