Mumbai: After a 15-day long wait, Maharashtra chief minister-elect Ashok Chavan on Friday staked formal claim to forming the new government with the support of 170 legislators.
The swearing-in ceremony of the new Democratic Front government will be held here on Saturday evening.
Chavan, along with deputy chief minister-designate Chhagan Bhujbal and top office-bearers of both Congress and Nationalist Congress Party met Governor S.C. Jamir at the Raj Bhavan and submitted the letters of support of 170 legislators.
These include 82 of Congress, 62 of the NCP, and the rest independents and other smaller parties in the 288-member house, an office-bearer said.
Earlier, Chavan met Congress president Sonia Gandhi as well as senior leaders like A.K. Antony and Ahmed Patel to discuss issues related to cabinet formation. "Proposals" regarding portfolio allocation were expected to get the high command's clearance on Friday.
Officials said 20 ministers of the NCP would be sworn in along with a few Congress ministers.
The Congress-NCP on Thursday managed to arrive at a consensus over power-sharing, paving the way for the swearing-in of the new government.
As per the formula, the Congress would get 22 ministers as compared to the NCP's 20, said NCP spokesperson D.P. Tripathi.
However, senior Congress leaders said the Congress would be getting 23 seats and the NCP 20.
"The NCP will retain Home, Finance and Power portfolios while negotiations are continuing on some of the other portfolios," Tripathi told IANS Thursday evening in New Delhi.
"There were some adjustments and the matter is resolved now," added senior NCP leader Praful Patel.
In the previous ministry, the Congress had 19 ministers while the NCP had 23. The NCP had secured 71 seats compared to the Congress' 69.
Since the Congress was keen to keep the post of chief minister, it agreed to give four extra portfolios to the NCP.
Friday's development comes exactly 15 days after the Oct 13 assembly election results were declared on Oct 22.
The Congress emerged the largest party in the 288-member house, bagging 82 seats, the NCP came next with 62 seats.
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party got 46 seats, Shiv Sena 44, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena 13 and the rest went to independents and smaller parties.
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