Congress legislators arrive at party headquarters to choose new CLP leader India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Elected Congress legislators have arrived at Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan, the party headquarters in the city, to chose the leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in Maharashtra. The race for CLP leader and eventually for the post of chief minister has heated up with Narayan Rane joining it. There are unconfirmed reports that former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh is also in running, though he had denied it yesterday after a meeting with party president Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi. Though incumbent Chief Minister Ashok Chavan is the frontrunner, as the High Command wishes to project continuity, according to the sources, Rane can demand top post as he has claimed the support of a majority of the elected MLAs. Rane could demand voting process to elect the new CM. Rane has opposed Ashok Chavan's appointment as the chief minister. Rane had opposed Ashok Chavan's candidature in 2008. Rane left Shiv Sena to join Congress three years ago. Some congress activists had staged roadblock for Ashok Chavan just before the CLP meeting.