NCP had a gameplan up its sleeve when it sought CM post: Prithviraj Chavan

Mumbai, Oct 1: Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on Wednesday claimed that the Centre imposed President's rule in the state even after the Governor had asked him to continue as caretaker chief minister.

He also accused his former alliance partner NCP of having a pre-meditated plan to topple the state government.

"After the NCP pulled out of the government, the Governor (Vidyasagar Rao) first asked me to continue as the caretaker CM. Later, a cabinet meet was held and the President was forced to sign on the file on a Sunday, invoking his rule in the state. He didn't even get time to seek legal opinion," Chavan told PTI in an interview.

The senior Congress leader said that he knew that ally NCP had a "gameplan" up its sleeve the moment it asked for a equal share of 144 Assembly seats and claim on CM's post for two-and-a-half years. "I was surprised when they (NCP) asked us to share the CM's post. I knew after this, the alliance will eventually break.

This was their gameplan...Hand over the state to the BJP (by pulling out of the government) and in return get a ministerial berth at the Centre," he said. On clean chit to Ajit Pawar in the alleged multi-crore irrigation scam, Chavan said that law will eventually catch up with the NCP leader as it did with former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, who has been awarded a four-year jail term in the illegal assets case.

"If the Madhav Chitale Committee had given him (Pawar) a clean chit as he claims, why has the court ordered an enquiry against him and (NCP Maharashtra Unit Chief Sunil) Tatkare ? The Chitale Committee report said the Irrigation Development Corporation cannot be chaired by a minister. Was he (Pawar) not a minister then? Our legal system, though slow, eventually delivers.

Even Jayalalithaa was convicted after 18 years," Chavan said. He said the first thing post elections, if voted to power, will be to do away with corrupt practices.

"I was sent to Maharashtra to clean up the existing system. I tried to do that even though all were against me. A coalition government did not let me do my job completely. But if we get a majority now, my first priority will be to ensure that no minister is a state co-operative Chairman," he said.

Taking a jibe at MNS chief Raj Thackeray, Chavan said political leaders should work towards developing Maharashtra in a way which would help take the country forward.

"Maharashtra is the No.1 state in the country. It cannot be separated from the rest of the country. Raj made a silly comment at his rally. You need to learn to take everyone together on the path of growth," he said.

Chavan was referring to Raj's remarks at a rally where he said that Maharashtra was self-sufficient and did not require Centre's assistance to cater to its needs.

Asked to comment on BJP's claims that if it comes to power, there will be better co-ordination between the Centre and the state, Chavan said, "Is the BJP trying to say that they will not cooperate completely with the Congress if we are voted to power once again?"

PTI