Maha impasse on, NCP sticks to demand

Impasse in forming the new Maharashtra government continues as an adamant Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) refuses to make any change in the portfolio allocation formula with its ally Congress.

The NCP leadership is ready to give more ministerial berths to the Congress but will not change the portfolios it had occupied during the past 10 years. The 1999 formula allows the NCP to retain the key ministries of home, finance and PWD, along with the Assembly Speaker’s post while the Congress leads the government.

“There is a set formula in place between the two parties. The NCP is not bringing any new issue or dimension on the table,” Praful Patel, Union civil aviation minister and NCP’ chief negotiator over the government formation issue, told reporters today.

As a part of its “pressure” tactics, the NCP leadership also made it clear that it would not join the government before all pending issues were resolved. After meeting Maharashtra Governor S C Jamir, senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal told him that there were some pending issues between the two parties, so the NCP would not join the government now. However, if there is any constitutional requirement, the NCP was ready to give the letter of support in favour of Chief Minister Ashok Chavan (of the Congress) immediately.

Hours later, Patel jumped into action to salvage the situation and categorically said that the NCP was eager to be a part of the new Maharashtra government. He also expressed hope that the issue would be resolved “within a day or two”.

Earlier, Chavan and Bhujbal were scheduled to take oath as the chief minister and deputy chief minister, respectively, today. But the NCP backed off at the last moment to exert pressure on the Congress to accept its demands.

Already 12 days have passed since the assembly poll results was declared on October 22, but the two alliance partners are still not ready to budge under each other’s pressure. “This is nothing new. Earlier too, it took quite a few days to form the government. In coalition politics, different partners have different demands. But we will soon reach an amicable solution,” Congress spokesperson Shakil Ahmed said today.