Ashok Chavan Explained

Ashok Chavan
Native Name:	अशोक चव्हाण
Birth Name:	Ashok Shankarrao Chavan
Birth Date:	28 October 1958
Birth Place:	Bombay, Bombay State, India
Residence:	Anand Nilayam, Shivaji Nagar, Nanded
Party:	Bharatiya Janata Party (2024–present)
Otherparty:	Indian National Congress (1977 - 2024)
Children:	Sujaya & Sreejaya Chavan
Parents:	Kusum & Shankarrao Chavan
Alma Mater:	Hazarimal Jomani College (BSc) B.Y.K. College of Commerce (MBA)
Office:	Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
Term Start:	3 April 2024
Predecessor:	Narayan Rane
President:	Droupadi Murmu
1Blankname:	Chairman of the House
1Namedata:	Jagdeep Dhankhar
Constituency:	Maharashtra Embed: yes Office: Member of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Term Start: (2009-2014), (2019 Term End: 2024) Governor: S. C. Jamir K. Sankaranarayanan Om Prakash Kohli (additional charge) C. Vidyasagar Rao Bhagat Singh Koshyari Ramesh Bais 1Blankname: Speaker of the House 1Namedata: Babasaheb Kupekar Dilip Walse-Patil Nana Patole Zirwal Narhari Sitaram (Acting) Rahul Narwekar Constituency: Bhokar Term Start1: (1999-2004), (2004 Term End1: 2009) Constituency1: Mudkhed 1Blankname1: Speaker of the House 1Namedata1: Arun Gujarathi Babasaheb Kupekar Governor1: P.C. Alexander Mohammed Fazal S.M. Krishna Order2: 16th Office2: Chief Minister of Maharashtra Governor2: S. C. Jamir K. Sankaranarayanan Status2: Second Term Deputy2: Chhagan Bhujbal Term Start2: 07 November 2009 Term End2: 11 November 2010 Predecessor2: Himself Successor2: Prithviraj Chavan Subterm2: Cabinet Suboffice2: Second Ashok Chavan ministry 1Blankname2: Ministry and Department 1Namedata2: General Administration Information and Public Relations Information Technology Urban Development Housing Cultural Affairs Protocol Governor3: S. C. Jamir Status3: First Term Deputy3: Chhagan Bhujbal Term Start3: 08 December 2008 Term End3: 07 November 2009 Predecessor3: Vilasrao Deshmukh Successor3: Himself Subterm3: Cabinet Suboffice3: First Ashok Chavan ministry 1Blankname3: Ministry and Department 1Namedata3: General Administration Information and Public Relations Information Technology Law and Judiciary Urban Development Industries Mining Department Housing Office4: Cabinet Minister Government of Maharashtra Term Start4: 30 December 2019 Term End4: 29 June 2022 Subterm4: Cabinet Suboffice4: Thackeray ministry Minister4: Public Works (Excluding Public Undertakings) 1Blankname4: Chief Minister 1Namedata4: Uddhav Thackeray 2Blankname4: Deputy CM 2Namedata4: Ajit Pawar Governor4: Bhagat Singh Koshyari 3Blankname4: Guardian Minister 3Namedata4: Nanded District Predecessor4: Chandrakant Bacchu Patil Nitin Raut (Acting) Successor4: Ravindra Chavan Office5: Leader of the House of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Governor5: S. C. Jamir K. Sankaranarayanan 1Blankname5: Speaker of the House 1Namedata5: Babasaheb Kupekar Dilip Walse-Patil 2Blankname5: Deputy Leader 2Namedata5: Chhagan Bhujbal Term Start5: 08 December 2008 Term End5: 10 November 2010 Predecessor5: Vilasrao Deshmukh Successor5: Prithviraj Chavan Office6: Member of Parliament Lok Sabha Term Start6: 2014 Term End6: 2019 Predecessor6: Bhaskarrao Bapurao Khatgaonkar Successor6: Prataprao Govindrao Chikhalikar Constituency6: Nanded Term Start7: 1987 Term End7: 1989 Predecessor7: Shankarrao Chavan Successor7: Venkatesh Kabde Constituency7: Nanded Office8: Cabinet Minister Government of Maharashtra Term Start8: 01 November 2004 Term End8: 04 December 2008 Subterm8: Cabinet Suboffice8: Second Deshmukh ministry Minister8: Industries Textiles Mining Department Marathi Language Ex. Servicemen Welfare State Border Defence (First) 1Blankname8: Chief Minister 1Namedata8: Vilasrao Deshmukh 2Blankname8: Deputy CM 2Namedata8: R. R. Patil Governor8: Mohammed Fazal S. M. Krishna S. C. Jamir Predecessor8: Himself Ranjeet Deshmukh Himself Himself Ramkrishna More R. R. Patil Successor8: Himself as CM Anees Ahmed Himself as CM Vijaykumar Krishnarao Gavit Dilip Walse-Patil R. R. Patil Term Start9: 18 January 2003 Term End9: 04 November 2004 Subterm9: Cabinet Suboffice9: Sushilkumar Shinde ministry Minister9: Co-operation Marathi Language Public Health and Family Welfare Industries Sanitation School Education Water Supply Protocol 1Blankname9: Chief Minister 1Namedata9: Sushilkumar Shinde 2Blankname9: Deputy CM 2Namedata9: Chhagan Bhujbal (2003) Vijaysingh Mohite-Patil (2003-04) Governor9: Mohammed Fazal Predecessor9: Vikramsinh Patankar Ramkrishna More Digvijay Khanvilkar Patangrao Kadam R. R. Patil Ramkrishna More R. R. Patil Himself Successor9: Patangrao Kadam Himself Vimal Mundada Himself Ajit Pawar Vasant Purke Ajit Pawar Balasaheb Thorat Term Start10: 18 October 1999 Term End10: 16 January 2003 Subterm10: Cabinet Suboffice10: First Deshmukh ministry Minister10: Revenue Protocol 1Blankname10: Chief Minister 1Namedata10: Vilasrao Deshmukh 2Blankname10: Deputy CM 2Namedata10: Chhagan Bhujbal Governor10: P. C. Alexander Mohammed Fazal Predecessor10: Narayan Rane CM Anna Dange Successor10: Sushilkumar Shinde CM Himself Office11: President of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee Term Start11: 2015 Term End11: 2019 1Blankname11: National President Indian National Congress 1Namedata11: Rahul Gandhi Sonia Gandhi Predecessor11: Manikrao Thakare Successor11: Balasaheb Thorat Office12: Minister of State Government of Maharashtra Term Start12: 06 March 1993 Term End12: 14 March 1995 Subterm12: Cabinet Suboffice12: Fourth Pawar ministry Minister12: Public Works (Including Public Undertakings) Urban Development Home Affairs (Rural) Parliamentary Affairs 1Blankname12: Chief Minister 1Namedata12: Sharad Pawar Governor12: P. C. Alexander Office13: Member of Maharashtra Legislative Council Term Start13: 1992 Term End13: 1998 Office14: General Secretary Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee Term Start14: 1995 Term End14: 1999 Office15: Vice-President and General Secretary of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee Term Start15: 1986 Term End15: 1995

Ashok Shankarrao Chavan (born 28 October 1958)^[1] is an Indian politician from Maharashtra. He is son of ex-Maharashtra Chief Minister Shankarrao Chavan. He was one of the most influential leaders of Indian National Congress in Maharashtra but later resigned and joined Bhartiya Janata Party on 13 Feb 2024.^[2] He has served as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra state from 8 December 2008 to 9 November 2010. Also, he has served as Minister for Cultural Affairs, Industries, Mines and Protocol in the Vilasrao Deshmukh government and he is also the former PWD Minister of Maharashtra.

On 9 November 2010, the Congress Party asked him to resign from office over corruption allegations relating to Adarsh Housing Society scam.^[3] In the 2014 general elections, despite the allegations and anti-incumbency wave, he won the Lok Sabha election from his Nanded constituency with a comfortable margin. In 2015, he was appointed the president of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee. Chavan lost his Nanded seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha election to Pratap Patil Chikhalikar of the BJP.^[4]

Chavan belongs to an influential political family based in Nanded district of Maharashtra state. He is the son of Shankarrao Chavan, a former Chief Minister of Maharashtra himself; they are the first father–son duo in the state's history to become chief ministers.^[5] His brother-in-law Bhaskarrao Bapurao Khatgaonkar Patil was a three-time Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) and a three-time MP, and Chavan's wife, Amita was MLA from Bhokar constituency in Nanded for years 2014-19.

Personal life

Chavan did his schooling at the St. Xavier's High School, Fort.^[6] He graduated in Science and has obtained his Master's in Business Management from Hazarimal Jomani College and B.Y.K. College of Commerce.^[7]

Chavan belongs to a political dynasty that includes his father and wife.^[8] Chavan's father, Shankarrao Chavan had a long career as a minister and was twice, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. He had also served as a senior minister in the national government under various Congress governments. Ashok Chavan is married to Ameeta (née Sharma). Ameeta is current member of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from Bhokar constituency which has previously been represented by both Shankarrao Chavan and Chavan himself. The couple has twin daughters Srijaya and Sujaya.^[9]

Political career

Organisational

He started career as student leader of University of Pune occupying post of University Representative (UR).

He started his political career in Congress Party as General Secretary, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee from 1995 to 1999.

President: Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee from 2014 to 2019.

MEMBER: CONGRESS WORKING COMMITTEE from August 2023 to 12th Feb 2024.

On 12th Feb 2024, he resigned from the Congress Party's primary membership.^[10]

On 13th February 2024, he joined BJP.

Electoral politics

In 1987–89, he held post of Member of Parliament from Nanded Lok Sabha constituency.

In 1992, he was elected as M.L.C. to the Maharashtra Legislative Council and later joined as Minister of State for Public works, Urban Development and Home in March 1993.

In 2003, Vilasrao Deshmukh appointed Chavan as Minister for Transport, Ports, Cultural Affairs and Protocol.

In November 2004, he was given the portfolio of Industries, Mining, Cultural Affairs & Protocol in Maharashtra cabinet.^[11]

As a cabinet minister

• 2003: Transport Minister.
• 2019: Sworn in as Cabinet Minister in Uddhav Thackeray's Ministry.

Tenure as Chief Minister of Maharashtra

In the aftermath of the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, Vilasrao Deshmukh took the moral responsibility and offered to resign, which was then accepted by the party and Chavan was elected as Chief Minister of Maharashtra.^{[12] [13]}

After winning assembly elections in 2009, Congress President Sonia Gandhi once again nominated Chavan as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Sharad Pawar, the leader of rival coalition partner NCP party, had been lukewarm towards Chavan, after his first choice of union power minister Sushil Kumar Shinde was ignored well before the race began.^{[14] [15] [16]}

Congress had clearly plumped for a Maratha to lead the party in the state, and had ignored the NCP view that a non-Maratha should be selected for the position to set right the social combination.

As a result, NCP chose a non-Maratha, Chhagan Bhujbal to occupy the deputy Chief Minister's post and gave the home ministry to Jayant Patil. The latter being a Maratha balanced the NCP's own bid to remain the community's first choice.Chavan was asked to resign as Chief Minister during a meeting with Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, after it emerged that three of his relatives owned apartments in the Adarsh Housing Society which was created specifically to house Indian war veterans in the upmarket Colaba area of Mumbai.^[17] He was succeeded by Prithviraj Chavan.

Post Chief Minister

Despite the corruption allegations, the Congress party put him up as a party candidate for the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections. He won the election by a huge margin. In Maharashtra, Rajiv Satav and Chavan were the only Congress candidates elected.

In 2015, he took over as the chief of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee.^[18]

Chavan contested the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections from Nanded Constituency but lost the election to BJP's Prataprao Patil Chikhalikar. He is one of the 9 former Chief Ministers of Congress who lost in Lok Sabha 2019 Election.^[19] In February 2024, he has nominated for Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra.^[20]

Controversy, scams and allegations

Apart from the much discussed Adarsh Housing Society Scam, Chavan was accused of using his office to fund his relatives' bank.^[21] Recently High court of Maharashtra state denied permission to the agency investigating the Adarsh scam to question Chavan.

In 2009 Assembly Elections, he was accused of hiding expenses on a paid supplement titled Ashok Parva in a leading Marathi daily.^[22] However, he denied the allegation by the Election Commission of India of having inserted favourable Paid News in newspapers.^[23]

Legislative assembly election's record

SI No.	Year	Legislative Assembly	Constituency	Margin	Party	Post
1.	2009	12th	Bhokar	1,07,503	Indian National Congress	Chief Minister of Maharashtra
2.	2019	14th	Bhokar	97,445	Indian National Congress	PWD Minister of Maharashtra

External links

• Biodata
• Official Website - Ashok Chavan
• Biodata On Ourneta.com

Notes and References

1. Web site: Biodata - Ashok Chavan . Pune Hitech . 2008-12-04 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090304113659/http://punevyaspeeth.org/chavan.pdf . 4 March 2009 . dmy .
2. News: 2024-02-13 . 'Starting new journey': Day after quitting Congress, Ashok Chavan says he is joining BJP . 2024-02-13 . The Times of India . 0971-8257.
3. http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article875911.ece "Cong axes Chavan and Kalmadi over corruption allegations"
4. News: Lok Sabha elections: Ashok Chavan lost Nanded to 15-year jinks...say party workers . 29 May 2019 . TNN . May 23, 2019 . Times of India . 2019.
5. Web site: Government. Government of Maharashtra. 2008-12-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080715080029/http://www.maharashtra.gov.in/english/government/govCouncilShow.php . 2008-07-15.
6. News: Vibhute . Kranti . St Xavier's alumni recall golden moments at reunion . DNA India . 2018-01-07 . en.
7. Web site: NDTV.com: Who is Ashok Chavan? . 2008-12-05 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081209101020/http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080075368 . 9 December 2008 . dmy .
8. Book: Kanchan Chandra. Kanchan Chandra. Democratic Dynasties: State, Party and Family in Contemporary Indian Politics. 28 April 2016. Cambridge University Press. 978-1-107-12344-1. 1.
9. News: 8 December 2008 . Twin daughters, Punjabi wife make up home for Ashok Chavan . Times of India . 2 October 2017 .
10. Web site: Ashok Chavan Latest To Quit Congress After Milind Deora, Baba Siddique . 2024-02-12 . NDTV.com.
11. News: Profile: Ashok Chavan, in father's footsteps. 5 December 2008. Press Trust Of India. IBN Live (CNN-IBN). 2008-12-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20081206062848/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/profile-ashok-chavan-in-fathers-footsteps/79794-3.html. 6 December 2008 . dead.
12. News: 5 December 2008 . Ashok Chavan named Maharashtra CM . Rediff . 2 October 2017 .
13. News: 8 December 2008 . Ashok Chavan sworn in as Maharashtra CM . Rediff . 2 October 2017 .
14. News: 25 October 2009 . Congress retains all three CMs; Khandu, Hooda sworn in. Rediff . 2 October 2017 .
15. News: 25 October 2009 . Ashok Chavan frontrunner for CM's post . Rediff . 2 October 2017 .
16. News: 22 October 2009 . Chavan is Cong's first choice as Maha CM . Rediff . 2 October 2017 .
17. http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_maharashtra
18. Web site: Ashok Chavan new MPCC chief . 14 March 2015 . nagpurtoday.in .
19. News: Ashok Chavan the heavyweight who lost Lok Sabha 2019 election. atrendhub.com.
20. Web site: BJP Fields JP Nadda, Ashok Chavan For Rajya Sabha, Sena Names Milind Deora . 2024-02-15 . NDTV.com.
21. News: Ashok Chavan used his office to fund kins' bank: CAG . 23 April 2011 . The Hindu . 6 April 2018 .
22. Web site: Ashok Chavan faces disqualification in paid news case of 2009. IANS. news.biharprabha.com. 15 July 2014.
23. https://web.archive.org/web/20100725015914/http://www.hindu.com/2010/07/21/stories/2010072162131500.htm "Maharashtra CM Chavan Challenges EC on Paid News"