Congress on Tuesday justified the delay in ministry formation in Maharashtra in alliance with NCP suggesting threadbare discussions are between the two parties on to ensure that no problem crops up after the government is formed.

"There are mature leaders in both parties. Threadbare discussions are going on every issue so that everything is sorted out before the government takes over," party spokesman Shakeel Ahmed told reporters here.

Ahmed said when both Congress and NCP had formed governments on the last two occasions, it took sometime to thrash out the modalities and it was taking time for the third time also.

"There is no problem...Discussions are there to prevent any problem which could arise later. We formed the government in the state on last two occasions and it took time to thrash out the modalities. But this ensured that no problem cropped up between the two parties after the government took over," Ahmed added.

Asked about the threat of NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal to support the government from outside, Ahmed said the mandate of the people of Maharashtra is to form a secular government and the alliance would fulfill the aspirations of the people of the state.