Saffron allies call delay 'revolting, disgusting'

MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena-BJP alliance came down heavily on the ruling Congress-NCP combine on Tuesday for the prolonged dispute over portfolios, which has resulted in a delay in forming the government.
Senior Sena leader Manohar Joshi told TOI, "Although voters gave a clear verdict in favour of the Congress-NCP, the alliance's leaders are squabbling over plum portfolios when Maharashtra is suffering in every field.It is both revolting and unfortunate that the ruling Democratic Front is not sensitive to the people and their problems.''
Added Sena MLA Subhash Desai, who will be leader of the opposition, "The manner in which the Congress and NCP are fighting over portfolios is disgusting. Mantralaya has come to a standstill and government schemes are not moving. However, the Congress-NCP is completely oblivious to people's problems.'' Stating that the Sena-BJP has written to Maharashtra governor S C Jamir, Desai said, "A delegation of saffron leaders will call on Jamir at Raj Bhavan on Wednesday morning.''
When contacted, senior BJP leaders said it was shameful for the Congress-NCP not to form a government for 12 days. "It seems the party is not bothered about serving the people,'' said BJP city chief and MLA Gopal Shetty, who added that the government should have been formed a week ago. BJP legislature party leader Eknath Khadse said the Congress-NCP has lost interest in the voters. "During the elections, they ran door to door to seek votes. But now that they are in power, they are busy chasing chairs of important portfolios,'' he stated.
MNS MLA Shishir Shinde said that while Marathi MLAs were fighting over key posts in Maharashtra, two Patels (read Ahmed Patel and Praful Patel) were deciding their fate in Delhi. "They have no right to delay government formation. It is an insult to lakhs of voters across the state,'' he said. He added that the state was also yet to appoint a new director general of police. "We have a sorry state of affairs in Maharashtra.''