New Delhi, June 3
A tug of war between Disinvestment Minister Arun Shourie and Communication Minister Pramod Mahajan over the VSNL decision to invest Rs 1200 crore in Tata Teleservices is likely to have serious consequences with some heads rolling after the return of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee from his Almaty visit. An unpleasant situation has developed for the ruling NDA government with Mr Shourie and Mr Mahajan locking horns in public over the VSNL decision to invest Rs 1200 crore in Tata
Teleservices, sources said.
While the BJP today came out in support of Mr Mahajan on the issue, the sources said Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee is likely to drop Mr Shourie from the Council of Ministers when he
reshuffles his Cabinet in the next two weeks.
The sources said Mr Mahajan prevailed upon the party to take a stand on the VSNL issue with party’s economic cell convener Jagdish Shettigar telling the media the VSNL decision “amounts to defeat the very spirit of disinvestment of PSUs and may even strengthen hands of those who are opposed to economic reforms’ process”. “The recent experience in the case of VSNL is most disappointing-that too when such a bad precedence has been set up by a business house known for its ethics”, Dr Shettigar said.
Strong toeing of Mr Mahajan’s line by the party’s economic idealogue has raised many eyebrows in the BJP with many speculating over the likely impact that the tug of war between the two ministers would have on the party’s image.
Mr
Shourie, who at one time was being considered to replace Finance Minister Yashwant
Sinha, is on his way out from the government, the sources said adding that he had treaded on so many toes by his arrogant attitude and
behaviour.
The sources said Mr Mahajan had been annoyed with Mr Shourie for quite some time now as the latter had refused to share with him details of a disinvestment proposal of a ITDC hotel.
Mr
Mahajan, who is being credited for ensuring the BJP’s victory at the recently held Goa Assembly elections, has emerged very strong in the eyes of the party high command. Mr Vajpayee, who is seriously considering to effect his Cabinet expansion-cum-reshuffle around the middle of the month, is said to be very keen to drop Mr Sinha from the Union Cabinet as the party has been asking for Mr Sinha’s blood for some time now.
The sources said Mr Sinha might be asked to take over the reins of the newly created Jharkhand state where the
BJP-Samata alliance has been in rough waters.
It would be very difficult for Mr Sinha to
turn down the high command’s directive to assume charge of chief ministership in Ranchi as former Finance Minister N.D. Tiwari who was four time UP Chief Minister also had set the precedent of accepting the Chief Ministership of Uttaranchal, a party leader said.
Mr Vajpayee would have to find a replacement for Mr Sinha and the names of Human Resource Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi and External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh are being mentioned as alternatives to the Finance Minister in the party circles. Another reason that is being given for Cabinet reshuffle is the presidential elections.
