Ashok Shankarrao Chavan
Chavan standing behind Sonia Gandhi
Chief Minister of Maharashtra
Incumbent
Assumed office  8 December 2008
Preceded by	Vilasrao Deshmukh
Constituency	Bhokar
Minister of Industries, Mines, Protocol,Cultural Affairs
In office 1 November 2004 – 20 February 2009
Constituency	Mudkhed
Minister of Revenue
In office 19 October 1999 – 20 October 2004
Succeeded by	Patangrao Kadam
Constituency	Mudkhed
Born	28 October 1958 (1958-10-28) (age 51) Mumbai (formerly Bombay)
Citizenship	Indian
Nationality	Indian
Ethnicity	Maratha
Political party	Indian National Congress
Spouse(s)	Ameeta Ashok Chavan
Children	2 daughters
Residence	Mumbai
Occupation	Politician, Businessman
Religion	Hindu

Ashok Shankarrao Chavan (Marathi: अशोक चव्हाण) (born 28 October 1958)^[1] is the present Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Chavan was sworn in on 8 December 2008, after Vilasrao Deshmukh and the Indian National Congress party selected him to be Deshmukh's successor on 5 December 2008. He also served as Minister for Cultural Affairs, Industries, Mines and Protocol in Vilasrao Deshmukh government. Chavan is son of former Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shankarrao Chavan and they are the first father–son duo in the state's history to become chief ministers.^[2][3]

[edit] Political career

He graduated in Science and has obtained his Master's in Business Management.^[4] He started his political career as General Secretary, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee. In the year 1987–88 he was elected as Member of Parliament from Nanded (Lok Sabha constituency). In 1992 he was elected as M.L.C from the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Constituency and later joined as Minister of State for Public works, Urban Development and Home in March 1993. In 2003, Chavan became Minister for Transport, Ports, Cultural Affairs and Protocol. In November 2004, Chavan became Minister for Industries, Mining, Cultural Affairs & Protocol. He was the General Secretary of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee from 1995 to 1999.^[2] He is the president of Sai Sevabhavi Trust Nanded, a charitable voluntary organisation.

Whether Chavan should get the top job, the central leadership had to discuss the report of senior leaders Pranab Mukherjee and A K Antony with ally and NCP chief Sharad Pawar which would be followed by final endorsement from Sonia Gandhi.

Pawar had been lukewarm towards Chavan, after his first choice of union power minister Sushil Kumar Shinde was ignored well before the race began. Congress had clearly plumped for a Maratha to lead the party in the state, and had ignored the NCP view that it go for a non-Maratha to set right the social combination.

As a result, NCP chose a non-Maratha, Chhagan Bhujbal to man the deputy CM'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.

On 20 February 2009, Rane was inducted into the cabinet and was made the Minister of Industry.

After winning assembly elections in 2009, Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi named Ashok Chavan as next Chief Minister of Maharashtra.^[5]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Biodata