Maharashtra: Cong-NCP to form govt

MUMBAI, Oct 16 (PTI and UNI) — Vilasroa Deshmukh of the Congress was tonight appointed the Chief Minister of Maharashtra after Congress-NCP reached an understanding on forging a coalition after Shiv-Sena-BJP combine failed to submit a list showing majority support of MLAs for them to Governor P.C. Alexander.

"I am appointing Vilasrao Deshmukh (CLP leader) as the new Chief Minister", Mr Alexander said after the Congress submitted a list of 151 MLAs supporting the combine, ending days of uncertainty after the elections threw up a hung Assembly.

MPCC President Prataprao Bhosale told reporters that October 18 had been tentatively fixed for swearing in of the new ministry which would be a multi-party coalition of Congress, NCP, SP, Peasants and Workers Party (PWP), Janata Dal (S), RPI (Ambedkar) and Bahujan Mahasangh.

Earlier, the Sena-BJP combine, which had also staked claim to form government, could submit a list of only 140 supporting MLAs with signatures of only 136.

On the other hand, the Congress-NCP combine with joint tally of 133 members also claimed support of another 18 of other parties and independents.

Earlier, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee(MPCC) President Prataprao Bhosale and his senior party colleagues met the Governor and furnished the list of 151 supporting MLAs.

Others who were present were Chief Minister-designate Vilasrao Desmukh, former MPCC President Ranjit Deshmukh, NCP leaders Chhagan Bhujbal, Padamsinh Patil and Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil and Mr Ramdas Athavale of the RPI Athavale faction.

The NCP and the Congress patched up their differences over representation in the ministry, allocation of portfolios, appointments of chairpersons of various state corporations, boards and commissions, and decided to join hands to form a "secular" government.

Meanwhile, outgoing Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde tonight "sportingly" conceded defeat for not being able to form the next government.

Mr Munde, who along with joint leader of Shiv Sena-BJP legislature party Narayan Rane met the Governor earlier in the day regarding the formation of a government, said: "Our efforts at forming the next government fell short."

"We will work as a responsible Opposition and will extend all cooperation to the new government on issues of public interests, he said in a statement here.