Kolkata: The CPM (Communist Party of India-Marxist) today (Oct 18, 2004) ruled out playing any mediatory role in resolving the issue of Chief Ministership of Maharashtra and said Congress and NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) had to thrash it out.

''There is no case for us where we can play a mediatory role. Congress and NCP have to decide who will be the new Chief Minister of Maharashtra,'' CPM Politburo member Biman Bose told reporters in Kolkata.

Asked whom the CPM would support for Chief Ministership, Bose replied, ''the ball is not in our court. It is in their court. If our party's opinion is sought on this issue, we will express our views. But extending support and be a part of the Government is not the same thing.''

The CPM could not decide the choices of the Congress and NCP, he said.

"NCP has won 71 seats and the Congress 68. They have to take a decision who will be the CM."

Evading a direct reply whether NCP chief Sharad Pawar was justified that the CM's post should go to his party, Bose said, CPM had bagged more seats in 1967 as part of the United Front, but Jyoti Basu did not become the Chief Minister. Ajay Mukherjee of Bangla Congress became the Chief Minister.

Mukherjee became the Chief Minister again in 1969 despite CPM bagging more seats, he said.