Mumbai: Chief Minister-designate Vilasrao Deshmukh tonight (Oct 30, 2004) staked claim for formation of the Government.

Deshmukh, accompanied by NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) legislative party leader R R Patil, met the Governor Mohammed Fazal and staked his claim.

The Senior Congress leader drove to Raj Bhavan after he returned from New Delhi, where he had a meeting with party president Sonia Gandhi.

Later, the Chief Minister-designate and Deputy Chief Minister-designate posed for waiting photographers.

Besides Deshmukh and Patil, others including senior Congress leader Govindrao Adik, Patangrao Kadam, MPCC (Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee) chief Prabha Rau, Kripashankar Singh and NCP leaders Gurnunath Kulkarni and Vasant Chavan were present.

Harshavardhan Patil, an independent legislator from Indapur was also present on the occasion.