Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan on Monday said that he never anticipated someone like Prithviraj Chavan would take such a step reacting to the latter's exit from the Congress party. He said that he was unaware of the circumstances that compelled Ashok Chavan to leave the Congress.Speaking to reporters, Chavan said that he has not yet decided on joining the BJP or any other political party. Chavan, 65, conveyed his decision to the state Congress president Nana Patole and submitted his resignation to the assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar.
Speaking about Prithviraj's exit, from the party Chavan said, " "Our senior colleague Ashok Chavan has resigned from the party and also as MLA. It's a sad decision. This was being talked about for a long time. We didn't think he would take this decision. He was made CM on two occasions. What went wrong, who was he upset about - only he will tell about this. This is very tragic. All members of the Congress Legislative party are together. BJP leaders spreading rumours that some people are in touch with them."
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Reacting to Chavan's departure, Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh commented without explicitly naming him, expressing disappointment over the exit of party members. He remarked on the opportunities created by their departure for those whose growth might have been stifled by their presence." Betrayers" don't realise their exit opens up vast new opportunities for those whose growth they have always stunted, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said without naming Chavan. "When friends and colleagues leave a political party that has given them much perhaps much more they deserved it is always a matter of anguish," Ramesh said. Chavan's exit from Congress comes days after senior Maharashtra Congress leaders Baba Siddique and Milind Deora quit the party. Chavan hails from Nanded district in Marathwada region. His father, the late Shankarrao Chavan, was also the chief minister of Maharashtra. Ashok Chavan stepped down as chief minister in 2010 for his alleged involvement in Adarsh housing scam in Mumbai. He was also state Congress chief during 2014-19