Congress eyes key portfolios,now with partner

The Congress intends to “renegotiate” crucial portfolios like Home,Finance and Power,which are with the NCP under the existing arrangement,Congress sources said. At the least,the sources said,the party would like the Chief Minister to keep Home in the wake of 26/11.

AICC spokesman Manish Tewari hinted as much when asked about the possibility of a change in the power-sharing format. “A new election puts in place a new reality. We will work out the modalities,” he said.

What could have been a major potential irritant between coalition partners,a rotation of Chief Ministership as suggested by a section of the NCP,was on Thursday sorted out by NCP chief Sharad Pawar. “The Congress will decide,” Pawar had told reporters in response to a query if Ashok Chavan will continue to be CM. NCP leader Chhagan Bhukbal had earlier advocated rotation as agreed between the Congress and the PDP during the previous regime in J&K.