Cabinet expansion may be deferred

With January 14 being observed as Makar Sankranti in North India and Pongal in Tamil Nadu, it is unlikely that the expansion would take place that day. Vajpayee leaves for Kerala on January 15 on a two-day visit.

The PM, Government sources said, was determined to go in for the expansion “on his own terms.” He is learnt to have decided to induct not more than 20 fresh faces so that the final strength of his Council of Ministers remained within a reasonable limit and did not touch “an embarrassing figure.” Of these, the allieswere likely to be given 10 berths, leaving the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with the rest of the slots. While the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) was likely to be given three berths, the Samata Party was likely to nominate two members of Parliament.

The Trinamool Congress (TC), which has so far not participates in the Government, has now decided to join it.

But TC chief Mamata Banerjee’s insistence that her party should be allotted the Railway Ministry is posing problems for the PM. He is unlikely to remove Samata Party leader Nitish Kumar, and efforts are underway to find a new, equally important slot for the TC. Speaking to reporters in Calcutta today, Banerjee, however, denied having submitted any list of party nominees to Vajpayee. “We have not got any positive offer yet,” she said, while describing as “informal” the discussion between Vajpayee and TC chief whip Ajit Panja yesterday.