It’s not a good time to be a member of the Congress-NCP Democratic Front government in the state.

Even as the combine is trying to pull things together amidst worries of losing Lok Sabha seats and the preparations for the state assembly elections due in October, the impending announcement of the state council polls for five seats — and, with it, the fresh imposition of the model code of conduct — is set to paralyse it all over again.

Hands tied: The atmosphere at the first cabinet meeting after the LS polls yesterday was gloomy and even CM Prithviraj Chavan and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar appeared lost in their own world, said a source who was at the meeting. File pic

The code of conduct for the Lok Sabha elections came into force in March and will stay in place till May 20. It will come into effect again when the state council polls are announced soon and be lifted only in mid-July. August will see it come into place again, giving the state government only a few days in between each phase to do any development or relief work.

Gloomy meet
On Wednesday, the atmosphere at the Sahyadri state guesthouse was gloomy when the state cabinet convened for the first time after polling for the Lok Sabha. The ministers wore a dejected look, which was an indication that they expected their worst fears to come true, said a source, adding that none of them even stopped to have lunch after the cabinet meeting. A minister who attended the meeting said no one was in the mood to discuss the Lok Sabha polls or their outcome and Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar appeared lost in their own world.