Mumbai: At a meeting of 39 newly-elected MLAs of Congress in Maharashtra here today, there was clear division among the legislators over electing their CLP (Congress Legislature Party) leader.
The MLAs authorised the party high command to decide, after former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said, he was not in the race. Several of the MLAs were in favour of former Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat. The party has won 42 seats in the state assembly.
The central observers Mallikarjuna Kharge and Mohan Prakash spoke to the 39 MLAs to elicit their opinions. 22 Congress MLCs were also present.
Congress MLA Naseem Khan did not attend the meeting, while another MLA Kalidas Kolambakar was absent he was down with dengue fever.
Other claimants for the CLP leadership include former Agriculture Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and Amit Deshmukh, son of late CM Vilasrao Deshmukh.
