M A I N   N E W S

Cabinet expansion before winter session?
T.R. Ramachandran
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 28
With Union Parliamentary Affairs and Urban Development Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad being moved to Jammu and Kashmir as the Chief Minister under a swap arrangement with incumbent Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s PDP, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s much-awaited Cabinet expansion-cum-reshuffle has assumed a fresh urgency.

Dr Singh has himself acknowledged that the Cabinet expansion will definitely take place before the winter session of Parliament gets under way from November 23, especially as the gaps in the Union Council of Ministers has widened with Mr Azad taking over the reigns of leadership in Jammu and Kashmir on November 2.

Despite fresh complications of the Opposition demanding the resignation of Union Minister of State for Water Resources Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav, following a non-bailable warrant issued against him after his brother escaped from police custody, sources stressed that the Cabinet expansion is “definitely taking place before the winter session of Parliament”.

They are unwilling to set a time frame for the expansion, emphasising that it is the Prime Minister’s prerogative.

The Prime Minister is expected to hold consultations in this regard immediately after his return from a trip to Tripura and West Bengal over the weekend.

Thus far, it was argued that the expansion-cum-reshuffle had been put on hold primarily on account Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s keenness on reorganising the party organisation.

Critical changes are expected in the Congress Working Committee. There is talk of Amethi MP and Ms Gandhi son Rahul being brought to the CWC.

There are indications of a few ministers also been drafted for party work and certain others in the organisation being brought into the government.

Congress sources are unwilling to hazard a guess on what will take place first — the Congress reorganisation or the Prime Minister’s Cabinet expansion. The much-talked-about Congress reorganisation has also been hanging fire for quite a while now.

The Prime Minister has himself taken on the burden of additional ministries and departments and is personally taking stock of the core economic programmes on a regular basis.

Along with the Union Parliamentary Affairs and Urban Development Ministries portfolio falling vacant with Mr Azad moving to Jammu and Kashmir, other areas requiring fresh induction include Sports and Youth Affairs, because of the demise of Sunil Dutt; Coal, Mines and Minerals Ministry, held earlier by JMM’s Shibu Soren; and the newly created Ministry of Non-Resident Affairs overseen by Jagdish Tytler, who had to step down in the wake of the Nanavati Commission report on anti-Sikh riots.

Others tipped for a ministerial berth in the Union Government are former Kerala Chief Minister A.K. Anthony, his party colleague Vyalar Ravi, Congress spokesperson Ambika Soni, Orissa’s Girdhar Gamang and senior Congress leader Motilal Vora.

The two persons in the race for the Sports and Youth Affairs portfolio are Maharashtra’s Suresh Kalmadi and Gurudas Kamat.

Suggestions have also been thrown up that some youthful MPs who have displayed tremendous talent within and outside Parliament as well as their constituencies being inducted in the government.

Dr Singh has given indications in the past that there is a need to correct the imbalance in terms of representation to the states in his Council of Ministers.

These pertain to Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Kerala. What the Congress has also to take into account is that Assembly elections are due early next year in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.

The Prime Minister can easily bring in an additional 18 ministers, as he can have a total strength of 81. This is in keeping with the outer limit of 15 per cent of the strength of the elected members of the Lok Sabha. The current strength of the government is 64, with 27 of Cabinet rank, nine Ministers of State holding independent charge and 28 Ministers of State.