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The high command has dismissed the theory that the scam-related reports on Vilasrao Deshmukh, Ashok Chavan and Kripashankar Singh led to the party’s debacle in the recent elections in the

state. After Congress president Sonia Gandhi rapped chief minister Prithviraj Chavan for the poor show in local bodies’ elections in Maharashtra, Chavan said he would take all steps to set

the party in order. The high command has dismissed the theory that the scam-related reports on Vilasrao Deshmukh, Ashok Chavan and Kripashankar Singh led to the party’s debacle in the recent

elections in the state. When the CM met Sonia recently in Delhi, she indicated that the party reposes trust in him and he needs to deliver. While admitting that the party would have to

fight corruption tooth and nail, the high command has given a list of dos and don’ts to the chief minister asking him to ensure participation of all factions and project a united face of the

state Congress. “The meeting between Gandhi and Chavan in Delhi recently was significant as both dwelt on the problems and challenges confronting the party. Chavan explained that the

Opposition was more united at the grassroots,” said a senior AICC functionary. The Centre indicated that capable leaders should be entrusted with greater organisational role and the

deserving should be appointed for posts in the corporations (Mahamandals) which have been lying vacant for several years. “The chief minister has completed a year in Maharashtra. There

cannot be an excuse that he needs time to know the state’s politics,” said sources in the Congress. Not surprisingly, Chavan’s critics are unhappy with his style of functioning. Soon after

the poll results, some of them wrote to AICC general secretary (political advisor to Gandhi) Ahmed Patel about the problems within the state Congress. “If Union minister for science and

technology Vilasrao Deshmukh and former chief minister Ashok Chavan are being accused of scams, then how did they win the zilla parishad polls in their home turf in Latur and Nanded with

absolute majority?” said a senior leader. The question being asked within the AICC and MPCC is how did the NCP, which had to fight serious corruption charges, managed to do well in 27 zilla

parishads in the state. Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and NCP president Sharad Pawar were targeted by Sena-BJP-MNS over corruption in the past last two years. Yet, they performed better

than the Congress.