Govt formation in Maharashtra may be delayed over portfolio issue

With both Congress and NCP engaged in hard bargaining on the issue of portfolios, government formation in Maharashtra is likely to be further delayed.

Negotiations between the two parties, that began yesterday, could continue for a couple of more days before a joint announcement is made, Congress sources said today.

"All ministers from the NCP may take oath in one go. However, this may not be the case with Congress, whose ministers will take oath in at least two parts. We will announce names for few portfolios in a couple of days," a senior Congress leader said.

He said the party has not staked claim to any particular portfolio, when asked whether it wanted Home, Finance, PWD and Power held by NCP in the previous government.

AICC secretary general in-charge for Maharashtra AK Antony and Ahmed Patel, Political Secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, have already held preliminary rounds of deliberations with NCP general secretary Praful Patel in this regard.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra chief minister-elect Ashok Chavan is likely to join the negotiations here. NCP is seeking a repeat of the 1999 formula of seat sharing under which it held the post deputy chief minister and kept the key ministries.