Prithviraj Chavan to stake claim

MUMBAI - Maharashtra Chief Minister-designate Prithviraj Chavan will meet Governor K. Sankaranarayanan in Raj Bhavan late Wednesday evening to stake claim to form the new government, official sources said.

Chavan will be accompanied by newly-appointed leader of the Nationalist Congress Party legislature party Ajit Pawar, deputy chief minister-designate, and other senior leaders from both the alliance parties.

The two leaders would hand over their respective letters of support and stake a claim to form the next Democratic Front government in the state.

The swearing-in ceremony is likely to be held here Thursday at 4.30 p.m.

However, an official announcement in this regard is expected after Chavan and the governor take a decision on the matter.

Meanwhile Satara, Pune and Baramati town (in Pune district) - the two adjoining districts in western Maharashtra - erupted into celebrations here following the appointment of Chavan and Pawar as the two new top helmsmen in the state.

Similar celebrations were witnessed outside the Congress and NCP party offices in Mumbai.

While Chavan hails from Satara, Pawar hails from Pune with family roots in Baramati, also the hometown of NCP chief Sharad Pawar and his daughter Supriya Sule, a member of parliament.

In contrast, Nanded and Nashik went quiet after their two leaders - Ashok Chavan and Chhagan Bhujbal - lost their posts following the political upheaval in the wake of the Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society controversy.