Congress-NCP spar over Mumbai serial blasts

New Delhi: Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on Friday revealed, "There was complete communication breakdown in first 15 minutes. It was shocking and unacceptable." Chavan also admitted to CNN-IBN that he almost panicked after he wasn't able to reach his police chief as networks crashed minutes after the serial bombings.

The Mumbai serial blasts also exposed the Congress-NCP rift over RR Patil as Home Minister. The NCP objected to Maharashtra Chief Minister claiming that giving the Home Ministry to the ally was a mistake.

Chavan angered Congress ally NCP in the wake of the serial blasts in Mumbai that ripped Central and South Mumbai on Sunday.

Chavan also acknowledged that some lessons from 26/11 still need to be learned.

Chavan said on Friday that handing over the key Home Ministry portfolio in Maharashtra to the NCP was a mistake. He said, "I don't know of any other coalition governments where the portfolios of the Home, Finance and Planning are not with the Chief Minister."

This division of key ministerships in the State has been in place since 1999 when the Congress-NCP combine first swept into office. In the last two days, Mumbaikars have voiced their anger at RR Patil's continuance as Home Minister.