Govt puts off Cabinet expansion

NEW DELHI, MARCH 30: The much talked about expansion of the Union Council of Ministers with a simultaneous reshuffle after the Rajya Sabha...

NEW DELHI, MARCH 30: The much talked about expansion of the Union Council of Ministers with a simultaneous reshuffle after the Rajya Sabha elections will not take place now.

Sources in the Prime Minister8217;s Office told The Indian Express on Wednesday that reports about the expansion were speculative. The Prime Minister is learnt to be of the view that any such exercise in the midst of the Parliament session is not required. Parliament, which will meet after the recess on April 17, would devote most of its time to discussing the Budget, the Finance Bill, the Kashmir issue and President8217;s Bill Clinton8217;s visit, the sources said.

Secondly, there has been no formal discussion either within the BJP or among its allies on the issue. The expansion, if it happens, would have to take into account the political requirements of the BJP and its allies in the states which are to go to the polls next year and also to strengthen the BJP8217;s own needs in Bihar in the future.

There is no plan to shift Power Minister P R Kumaramangalam to any other ministry or to divest Arun Jaitley of the Information and Broadcasting portfolio, according to the sources. Reports appearing in a section of the press were apparently inspired by those in the NDA who are keen to fill the slots vacated by Nitish Kumar of the Samata Party and Naveen Patnaik of the Biju Janata Dal.

Kumar and Patnaik quit the Union Cabinet to become chief ministers of Bihar and Orissa, respectively. While Nitish lost to Rabri Devi in the trial of strength in the state Assembly, Naveen won a thumping victory. There is considerable pressure on Defence Minister George Fernandes to get representation in the Central ministry for someone other than Nitish Kumar.

But Nitish Kumar8217;s supporters are working overtime to get him reinducted into the Cabinet as agriculture minister on the plea that he is being punished unnecessarily.

Patnaik is also under pressure to name his successor in the Union Cabinet and also as the Leader of the BJD Parliamentary Party. Dilip Ray, who holds independent charge of the steel ministry, is reportedly keen to be promoted to Cabinet rank and wants the new appointee to be given the Minister of State rank. This is not acceptable to Naveen Patnaik.

Story continues below this ad

There are problems within the BJP also. If Sushma Swaraj is the obvious choice for the Cabinet, there are many who feel that S S Ahluwalia should be given a chance as the lone Sikh BJP leader. Kirti Azad is also angling for the job as there are no Brahmins in the ministry despite their constituting 20 per cent of the population in Bihar. There are 10 Central ministers from Bihar, but none is a Brahmin 8212; the BJP8217;s traditional votebank.

There seems to be one more reason for postponing the expansion. If Rajnath Singh is to be sent back to UP though he has been picked up for the Rajya Sabha seat as Chief Minister, then why not let the reshuffle take place after the session in May. The new BJP chief is also to be elected.