11 days after poll results, no Maharashtra govt

Mumbai: The Congress and the NCP have still not been able to agree on ministerial berths in Maharashtra which means that the swearing in ceremony of Ashok Chavan and Chagan Bhujbal will probably not take place on Tuesday.

The Congress wants more berths as it has won more seats. It is believed that the party also wants rural ministries, including Power.

The NCP has stuck to its demand for implementing the 1999 power-sharing formula in Maharashtra and urged the Congress to resolve the stalemate to enable the government to start functioning.

"Since the people of the state have given a mandate to the Congress-NCP, pending issues must be resolved immediately so that the government could take office without delay," Civil Aviation Minister and NCP leader Praful Patel said outside the residence of party chief Sharad Pawar after emerging from a party meeting.

It has been more than a week since the results of the Assembly elections were announced (October 22) but the issue of sharing power and critical portfolios has not yet been resolved.

Patel reiterated that the NCP would press for the 1999 power-share formula, which gives the NCP important ministries like Home, Finance, Energy, and Public Works as well as the posts of deputy chief minister and speaker.

The NCP has even threatened to offer only outside support to the government if the Congress does not go by the 1999 formula.

The Congress bagged 82 and the NCP 62 seats in the 288-member House. Both have adopted an uncompromising stand on the issue of certain key portfolios like home, finance and public works ministries.

The Congress decided to retain Ashok Chavan as chief minister for a second term, while the NCP named Chhagan Bhujbal as deputy chief minister for a third term, bypassing another senior leader Ajit Pawar, nephew of Sharad Pawar.

Ajit Pawar said that in the 2004 elections, even though NCP had 71 seats compared to 59 of Congress, it agreed to accept the post of deputy chief minister and let the Congress retain the chief minister's post.

"At that time, to keep the chief minister's post, the Congress offered us (NCP) four extra ministries and three departments," he noted.

(With agency inputs)