Mumbai:
Two weeks after it was re-elected, forming the new government has stumped the Congress and its coalition partner, Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
They are still bickering over who gets what portion of the spoils. The delay prompted the Maharashtra Governor to ask them to explain what's going on.
The Congress immediately struck a conciliatory note. "Both parties need to cooperate to form the government. They are slowing things down," said Manikrao Thakre, State Congress Chief.
The NCP projected two faces. Refusing to bend, Chaggan Bhujbal declared, "We have said we will support the government from the outside and when our issues are sorted out we will join the government." But hours later, a gentler Praful Patel countered "I am the authorised spokesperson on this issue and nowhere have I said we won't join the government."
But privately, the number and type of ministries are still a gigantic bone of contention.
The Congress has conceded the Home department to the NCP, but is refusing an equal share in the cabinet, because it has won 20 more seats than the NCP.
Fed up of daily updates on the negotiations, voters point out they just want the government they elected to show it's capable of doing leadership and of doing the job it's been selected for.
They are still bickering over who gets what portion of the spoils. The delay prompted the Maharashtra Governor to ask them to explain what's going on.
The Congress immediately struck a conciliatory note. "Both parties need to cooperate to form the government. They are slowing things down," said Manikrao Thakre, State Congress Chief.
The NCP projected two faces. Refusing to bend, Chaggan Bhujbal declared, "We have said we will support the government from the outside and when our issues are sorted out we will join the government." But hours later, a gentler Praful Patel countered "I am the authorised spokesperson on this issue and nowhere have I said we won't join the government."
But privately, the number and type of ministries are still a gigantic bone of contention.
The Congress has conceded the Home department to the NCP, but is refusing an equal share in the cabinet, because it has won 20 more seats than the NCP.
Fed up of daily updates on the negotiations, voters point out they just want the government they elected to show it's capable of doing leadership and of doing the job it's been selected for.
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