Congress-NCP negotiations settled, new Maharashtra Govt. to take oath on Saturday

Mumbai, Nov 5 : The Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Thursday reached a broad understanding on the portfolio allocation in Maharashtra.

Union Defence Minister A K Antony, who is in-charge of party affairs in Maharashtra, announced this after a meeting with Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

NCP's negotiator Praful Patel said that both the parties have cleared the portfolio issues.

The Congress-NCP alliance will stake claim to form the government on Friday and new government will take oath on Saturday, he added.

This should put an end to the uncertainty that has prevailed since the declaration of the results on October 22.

Ahmed Patel from the Congress and Praful Patel from the NCP were engaged in talks in New Delhi until late Wednesday night discussing the deal and waiting for the nod from the Congress high command.

A day after Maharashtra Governor S C Jamir issued an ultimatum to the Congress-NCP combine; Chief Minister-designate Ashok Chavan had stated that a Government would be formed in the state in 48 hours.

--ANI