Vasant Chavan had friends across political spectrum

Mumbai, July 11 (UNI) NCP leader and Rajya Sabha member Vasant Chavan who died here today had friends across the political spectrum in Maharashtra.

BJP state president Nitin Gadkari, who was among the first to pay his last respects at the Majestic MLA hostel where Chavan passed away, himself moved a resolution urging for adjournment of the Legislative Council of which Mr Chavan was a member for 18 years.

He said Mr Chavan had friends in all political parties and his body was kept at the NCP office situated outside the Vidhan Bhavan.

Even the Legislative Assembly was adjourned for the day after Question Hour and calling attention notices were taken up for debate. The resolution was moved by Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil and seconded by Leader of opposition Ramdas Kadam who belongs to the Shiv Sena.

Even Shiv Sena leader and MLC Neelam Gorhe who hails from Pune said the state had lost a good political worker in the sudden death of Mr Chavan. Oratory was his forte and he dedicated his life to the upliftment of economically and socially poor sections of the society.

Ulhas Pawar, congress MLC also condoled the death of Mr Chavan and described him as a good friend.

Known for his organisational abilities, Mr Chavan was a well-read and well-educated man. He was a gold medalist in Sanskrit and held a law degree. He rose from the lower ranks to achieve political success first in Congress and later in the NCP.

Mr Chavan who belonged to Pune, was considered close to Congress MP late V N Gadgil before he (Gadgil) shifted to Delhi after being appointed as AICC spokesman. He moved closer to Sharad Pawar after the late Mr Gadgil withdrew from Congress politics in Pune district.

Starting his political career as a corporator in the Pune Municipal Corporation in 1970, he was first elected to the Legislative assembly from the Parvati assembly constituency in 1980.

From 1986 till 2005, he was a member of the Legislative council after which he was elected to the Rajya Sabha. Presently, he was in his second term.

Mr Chavan was the Urban Development minister in the Sudhakar Naik ministry in 1992-93 and Excise and FDA minister in the Vilasrao Deshmukh government in 1999-2001.

Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, Rajya Sabha member from Shiv Sena Manohar Joshi, MLAs, MLCs belonging to all political parties, Anant Gadgil of Congress were prominent among those who paid their tributes to the late Mr Chavan where his body was kept at the NCP office in South Mumbai. The body was brought to the NCP office from J J hospital where the post-mortem was conducted.

BJP leader Gopinath Munde described Mr Chavan as a political activist who worked for social justice. Leader of opposition in the Legislative council Pandurang Phundkar said he was a well-read public figure.

UNI MR PM RL KN1758