Ashok Chavan, Sonia discuss govt formation

New Delhi, Dec 7: The Chief Minister-designate of Maharashtra Ashok Chavan on Sunday, Dec 7 met the Congress President Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi to discuss about forming new government in the State. Chavan, along with Sonia, is holding talks with senior Congress leaders on formation of his cabinet amid expectations that he would assume charge on Monday, Dec 8.

Vilasrao Deshmukh the outgoing Chief Minister was also present at the meeting. In the Deshmukh government, Congress had kept three vacancies in the cabinet for his entire tenure and the outgoing chief minister could not fill them due to adverse pulls and pressures. Many ministers in the outgoing Deshmukh ministry are expecting to find a place in the new government.

Meanwhile Narayan Rane who lost the Chief Minister race lashed out at Congress Party and Sonia Gandhi. He even claimed that he can topple the Ashok Chavan government and said he has support of over 20 MLAs. Rane was suspended from Congress for his outburst. Rane had alleged that Sonia Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel and Deshmukh, aided by some industrialists, prevented him from becoming the chief minister.