Congress-NCP talks fail to take off

Mumbai, Nov 2 (ANI): The crucial Congress-NCP talks over portfolio sharing in Maharashtra did not take place on Sunday, delaying further the government formation in the state.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan held a series of meetings last night with Ahmad Patel, political secretary to Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Defence Minister A K Antony, who is in-charge of the party affairs in Maharashtra.

He said there would not be any constitutional issue even if the government formation exercise continued beyond third of November.

"This had happened after the state assembly elections in 1999 and 2004, he added.

Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Manikrao Thakre said NCP leaders were yet to conclude their internal deliberations on the issue of portfolio sharing.

Earlier, senior NCP leader and Civil Aviation minister Praful Patel met his party Chief Sharad Pawar to discuss the government ormation in the state. (ANI)