NCP-Cong will resolve differences "in a day or two": Patel

Bombay News.Net
Thursday 5th November, 2009 (ANI)

Bangalore, Nov 5 : Maharashtra may finally have a government on Friday or by Saturday, said Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Praful Patel, adding that he is hopeful about the NCP and the Congress resolving their differences over portfolio allocation "in a day or two".

Speaking at a function in Bangalore on Wednesday, Patel said he was hopeful about the impasse over the formation of a new government coming to an end after "amicably" settling all issues including portfolios.

"We are hoping for a win-win situation for both (NCP and Congress)," he added.

A day after the term of the outgoing assembly in Maharashtra expired; the Congress and the NCP had held fresh discussions on Wednesday to sort out the vexed issue of portfolio sharing.

Hectic parleys were on between the two parties to reach a consensus over the sharing of portfolios, as each party has staked a claim to some portfolios that the other doesn't want to part with.

"An agreement between the Congress and the NCP on the allocation of portfolios is likely to be finalised by evening," NCP sources said.

The result of elections to the 288 members Maharashtra Assembly was declared on 22nd October, but the new ministry is yet to be sworn in owing to the differences between the two parties on portfolio allocation.

While the Congress wants more portfolios as it has got 20 seats more than the NCP, the latter had announced that it would prefer the 1999 formula for the allocation of ministry.

Congress won 82 seats in the elections, while Sharad Pawar's NCP bagged 62 as against 69 and 71 respectively in the last election.

State Governor S C Jamir had earlier met caretaker Chief Minister Ashok Chavan and his deputy Chhagan Bhujbal separately to discuss the delay over government formation.

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