M A I N   N E W S

Vajpayee in no hurry
Induction of new ministers
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Aug 25 — The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, will have to bridge the gaps in his jumbo Union Council of Ministers sooner than later even as low key lobbying by ministerial aspirants has begun.

Burdened as he is in overseeing half-a-dozen portfolios, the list got enlarged today with power also coming under his charge following the tragic passing away of P.R. Kumaramangalam. Mr Vajpayee’s unenviable canvas at present encompasses Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Planning, Statistics and Programme Implementation, Atomic Energy, Space and Power.

According to sources the Prime Minister is yet to apply his mind on the induction of new faces which is unlikely to take place till his return from his visit to the USA in the third week of next month.

Judging by the past experience connected with the expansion-cum-reshuffle of his Cabinet, the Prime Minister is not expected to take these decisions in a hurry without holding due consultations with the partners of the BJP-led NDA government.

While it is recognised by all concerned that it is Mr Vajpayee’s sole prerogative to pick and chose his ministerial colleagues, the exercise has always whipped up an unseemly controversy.

The clamour for additional berths in the Union Council of Ministers from the parties forming part of the NDA has been unending. It has been far in excess of their representation in the Lok Sabha. There is also an increasing tendency to demand specific ministries and departments by the partners of the NDA purportedly to serve the larger interests of their home state.

There have been instances of BJP leaders handpicked for ministerial assignments sulking and expressing their displeasure in no uncertain terms on not been given a portfolio of their choice.

In his own inimitable style, Mr Vajpayee has acknowledged that these are inevitable pinprinks in running a coalition government coupled with the rumblings within after the initial formation of the Cabinet and subsequent expansion-cum-reshuffles to plug the gaps. At the same time he has not taken kindly to these discordant notes.

A few ministers in Vajpayee government are holding additional charge. Notable among them is the suave Minister of State with independent charge Arun Jaitley who is holding additional charge of Law, Justice and Company Affairs, after the ignominious exit of Mr Ram Jethmalani.

Similarly, Mr Arun Shourie has been given independent charge of the newly created Department of Disinvestment while looking after Statistics and Programme Implementation as well as the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances in his capacity as minister of state.

The Prime Minister’s aides see no urgency for a Cabinet expansion-cum-reshuffle. There is a minister of state in Jayawanti Mehta in the Ministry of Power. An ailing Union Rural Development Minister Sunderlal Patwa, who is undergoing treatment after having taken ill in Parliament a few days back, also has a deputy in minister of state A. Raja.

These sources point out that the Prime Minister, who is going to be in Nagpur for three days from tomorrow for the BJP National Executive and National Council meetings has hardly had any time to prepare for his upcoming visit to the USA for the millennium summit of the United Nations followed by the summit with the US President, Mr Bill Clinton, in Washington.

India’s Ambassador to the USA Naresh Chandra currently here to prepare for Mr Vajpayee’s trip to the USA could barely meet the Prime Minister for 15-20 minutes yesterday.

“A lot of preparation is required for the tour of the USA and the Prime Minister is barely left with 9 days after his return from Nagpur on August 29. So, where is the time really for Mr Vajpayee to apply his mind on inducting fresh faces in his Union Council of Ministers before he leaves for the USA,” they wonder dismissing all speculation in this regard.