Venkatesh Kesari and Prasad Patil
New Delhi/Mumbai, Nov. 3: Central leaders of the Congress and NCP are working on a power-sharing formula for Maharashtra to break a deadlock that has lasted for more than a week. But the state leaders of the two parties appear adamant on either getting or retaining some key portfolios.
NCP leader and Union civil aviation minister Praful Patel on Tuesday evening put the record straight by saying that the NCP would join a Congress-led government in Maharashtra and that the power-sharing deadlock would end in a day or two. But, at the same time, he reiterated the continuation of the existing power-sharing arrangement, which is based on the 1999 formula. "There are no two opinions on whether or not the NCP wants to be part of the government. Definitely, we will be part of the government, informal talks are going on," Mr Praful Patel told reporters. He set the record straight shortly after Maharashtra deputy chief minister and NCP Legislature Party leader Chhagan Bhujbal had announced in Mumbai that his party was ready to extend outside support to the Congress.
The NCP is willing to give the labour, environment and forest portfolios to the Congress but the latter is keen on the rural development and tribal ministries. These portfolios, insiders say, will help the Congress strengthen its traditional support base.
The NCP is not in a position to bargain as it won 20 seats less than the Congress but some NCP state leaders are said to be "over-ambitious". In the 1999 and 2004 state Assembly polls, the Congress was weak. In 1999, the two parties had fought the elections against each other while in 2004 the NCP had won more seats than the Congress, which was also depending on regional parties at the Centre.
Mr Praful Patel said discussions on government formation in Maharashtra were on between the state leaders of the two parties. "A final decision will be reached after high-level talks between the leaders of the two allies," he said.
Answering questions, he said talk of the NCP breaking the alliance were just rumours. "Na kuch aise baat rahi hai, na hogi (This was never a possibility, nor will it be)," he said.
Mr Patel maintained that the NCP was ready to give a letter extending support to the Congress to form the government "if it is the only issue holding up government formation". He said the NCP had proposed the continuance of the 1999 power-sharing arrangement under which the chief minister was from the Congress while an NCP leader was deputy chief minister in addition to the NCP holding key portfolios like home, finance, power and PWD.
He also said the differences between the two parties were "not irreconcilable" and that outstanding issues would be resolved through "high-level talks". Asked whether NCP chief Sharad Pawar would meet Congress chief Sonia Gandhi to sort out the issue, Mr Patel said he did not feel there was a need for the top leaders to get into this.
In Mumbai, NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal had earlier on Tuesday asked the Congress to immediately form a government with "outside support" from his party. Mr Bhujbal met Maharashtra governor S.C. Jamir at Raj Bhavan at 11.30 am. After the meeting, Mr Bhujbal said his party would support the Congress government from outside. The Congress has 82 seats and the NCP has 62 in the 288-member Assembly.
The governor summoned both Mr Chavan and Mr Bhujbal to Raj Bhavan to sort out the issue. Mr Chavan met Mr Jamir around 11 am. However, the governor’s initiative failed to break the deadlock.
"It is the responsibility of chief minister Ashok Chavan and Congress leaders to decide when to form the government. As far as the NCP is concerned, our stand is very clear. We will participate in the government only after the issues regarding portfolios are sorted out. Till then we will give outside support to the Congress government," Mr Bhujbal had said in Mumbai.
Mr Bhujbal added that it is the Congress’ tactics that are delaying government formation. "We have not demanded any portfolio from the Congress’ quota. They are demanding our portfolios. Discussions are on between the two parties. The Congress should form the government if the solution is not found soon," he had said earlier on Tuesday.
"We have even agreed to give back the three additional portfolios we had got in 2004. Portfolios should be distributed as per the 1999 formula," Mr Bhujbal said.
