Zeenews Bureau
Mumbai: Maharashtra Governor SC Jamir on Wednesday called on the Congress and NCP to quicken the process of government formation in the state.
The Governor asked both the parties to respect the verdict of the people of Maharashtra and install a new government as soon as possible.
The Governor’s call came a day after the term of the outgoing Assembly in Maharashtra expired. Jamir had also held separate talks with caretaker Chief Minister Ashok Chavan and Deputy Chief Minister-designate Chhagan Bhujbal yesterday to discuss the issue of delay in government formation.
The Governor’s call came even as Congress and NCP today held fresh discussions to sort out the vexed issue of portfolio sharing and break the deadlock over government formation.
Hectic parleys were on between the two parties to reach a consensus over sharing of portfolios, as each party has staked claim to some portfolios which the other doesn`t want to part with.
"An agreement between Congress and NCP on allocation of portfolios is likely to be finalised by evening," NCP sources said.
The swearing of the new ministry is likely any time as per `muhurat`, the sources said.
The result of elections to the 288 member Maharashtra Assembly was declared on October 22 but the new ministry is yet to be sworn in owing to differences between the two parties on portfolio allocation.
While Congress wants more portfolios as it has got 20 seats more than NCP, the latter has announced that it would prefer the 1999 formula for 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.
