Cabinet choice: Sheila8217;s test

Faced with a similar, chronic problem of not being able to keep everyone happy, the BJP had found a way of accommodating more than 35 MLAs in various official posts which provided them with an office, a vehicle and the usual perks.

Senior MLAs were appointed chairmen of about 20 boards in the Government. Between four and eight MLAs were accommodated in four house committees, the SC/ST committee, the undertaking committee, the public accounts committee and the estimates committee. Still others went into various organisations like the Delhi Development Authority, where three MLAs can be accommodated.

Senior leaders were also chosen as parliamentary secretary to the chief minister and, of course, speaker and deputy speaker. Among these, the post of parliamentary secretary, which was created by the BJP government with the sanction of the Lieutenant-Governor, is usually given to an MLA who has the stature to be a minister but cannot be made one.

In the last two days, parleying leaders, discovered that the constitution of the Delhi Cabinet would be left to Dikshit. It has also become clear that Sajjan Kumar will have a decisive say in the making of the Cabinet. Leaders who may be accommodated for their seniority are Deep Chand Bandhu, Prem Singh, Mahinder Singh Saathi, Tajdar Babbar and Narender Nath.

Leaders who enjoy clout, either political or personal, are Mangat Ram Singhal, Raj Kumar Chauhan, Ajay Maken and Yogender Shastri.