Bhuniya,Pranab’s son likely faces in Cabinet

Banerjee’s preference is going to be a decisive factor in the issue. “It would depend on the relationship between the parties and the portfolios the Congress gets,” said Om Prakash Mishra,Congress leader and WBPCC spokesperson. He added the final say in the matter would be of the Congress high command,and particularly of Pranab Mukherjee and Shakeel Ahmed,AICC general secretary and state in-charge. Of the 65 candidates who contested on Congress ticket in the Assembly polls,42 won.

Of the several names being discussed as the likely Congress candidates to win ministerial berths,the most significant is WBPCC chief Manas Bhunia,who was elected from Sabang in West Midnapore. Bhunia,who first became MLA in 1982,was appointed the state Congress head in June 2009 and has successfully led the party since then.

The next in line is Pranab Mukherjee’s son Abhijit Mukherjee,who was elected from Nalhati in Birbhum. Congress leaders say the prominence of the 50-year-old electrical engineer and former manager of SAIL is going to increase as his father has announced that he would no more contest in elections.

Another senior Congress leader,Debo Prasad Roy,an MLA from Alipur Duar who defeated Kshiti Gowamani of RSP,is a strong contender for the ministerial berth. The 62-year-old leader,who was earlier MLA from Jalpaiguri,has been associated with the Congress for over three decades and was also AICC secretary and has contacts with 10,Janpath.

Also in the race are Isha Khan Chowdhury, who won from Baisnabnagar,and his brother Abu Naser Khan Chowdhury. Party insiders say Banerjee would prefer Isha Khan over his uncle Abu Naser Khan Chowdhury.

Meanwhile,insiders say Sabina Yasmin,the newly elected Congress MLA from Mothabari,might turn out to be the only woman candidate from the party to bag a ministerial berth. She has backing of West Bengal Youth Congress president Mausam Benazir Noor.

The senior most Congress MLA Gyan Singh Sohanpal,87,elected for the tenth time from Kharagpur is the only MLA who has an experience of being a minister. However,his age can become a disadvantage for him. Congress sources suggest five-time MLA Ajoy Dey from Shantipur in Nadia can emerge as a dark horse.