Did not ask high command for any post: Nitin Raut

Contrary to speculation, energy minister says he did not meet the Congress high command regarding the deputy chief minister’s or speaker’s post

A day after speculations that he urged the Congress high command to make him the Deputy Chief Minister or Speaker, Energy Minister Dr Nitin Raut denied any such talks took place in New Delhi, on Tuesday.

"I had gone to Delhi to invite Sonia ji and Rahul ji for my son Kunal's wedding, which is scheduled to take place later this month in Nagpur. I didn't say a word about the subject the people are talking about and a section of the media reported," Dr Raut told mid-day on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, contradictory reports emerged after Raut's Delhi visit, because newly appointed state Congress president Nana Patole also met the Gandhis the same day. Some reports said since Raut was worried about losing his ministerial berth to Patole, he tried to convince the party leadership about retaining him. Some reports said he suggested that he be made a DCM or Speaker. Raut said both reports were rumours.

It was also learnt that the Congress leadership was mulling on retaining the Speaker's post for which MLAs Sangram Thopte, Amin Patel and Suresh Warpudkar are interested.

Thopte comes from Western Maharashtra where the Congress has little representation in the power apparatus. Patel belongs to Mumbai which goes to civic polls next year and needs its leaders to be in influential position. Warpudkar is the most senior of the three contenders and comes from Central Maharashtra. He has been a member of Parliament as well.

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