Taking over the reins of the scam-hit Maharashtra government, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on Saturday said he will have to take some 'tough decisions' while finalising his council of ministers to meet the 'high expectations' of the people and leaders in the national capital.
Chavan, who took over as CM after Ashok Chavan was forced to resign after his name figured in a housing scam, said the names of the council of ministers from the Congress would be finalised in a day or two.
He held discussions with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and senior party leader Pranab Mukherjee and is understood to have discussed the ministry formation exercise.
"Care will be taken to maintain regional and social balance while finalising the council of ministers," Chavan told reporters.
"At times we will have to take tough decisions," he said.
Chavan said he would also meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Defence Minister A K Antony, who is also in-charge of party affairs in the state.
On the allocation of portfolios, he said the arrangement with the Nationalist Congress Party during the previous government would continue. As per the power sharing pact, the Congress can have 23 ministers while the NCP can have 21 ministers besides the post of chief minister and deputy chief minister respectively.
"Our endeavour would be to put in place a council of ministers as soon as possible and begin preparations for the winter session of the assembly that begins in Nagpur from December 1," he said.
Chavan also rubbished reports that he was illegally allocated a flat in a building in Wadala area of Mumbai.
"I do not think there is anything illegal in it. I was allocated the flat from the quota meant for members of Parliament," he said.
Chavan said his mother had requested for a flat as she was undergoing treatment for cancer at the Tata Memorial Hospital from the quota meant for former members of Parliament and in 2003, the allocation was made in his name. He claimed that no guidelines were flouted while making the allocation.
