Inside Track

Not a watery graveIn political parlance, the Ministry of Water Resources is considered dry and not wet as its name suggests. So there is ...

Not a watery grave

In political parlance, the Ministry of Water Resources is considered dry and not wet as its name suggests. So there is speculation as to why Pramod Mahajan, supposedly a Vajpayee favourite, was allotted the relatively humble charge of Water Resources and Parliamentary Affairs. It was not his Monica Lewinski remark alone, but the fact that Mahajan was indiscreet enough to boast publicly of his close ties to the Prime Minister which proved his undoing, according to Mahajan detractors. But it is too early to write off Mahajan just yet, since he hopes to soon get an additional portfolio of Information Technology.

Incidentally, Mahajan as Iamp;B Minister had instructed DD officials not just to play up his favourites but to virtually black out his rivals in the party. For instance, on the counting day although there was a DD camera crew specially posted in Bellary, till 5 p.m. no news clip of Sushma Swaraj was shown. Somebody telephoned Delhi to complain and matters were rectified.Swaraj, the BJP8217;s star debater, featured prominently on Star8217;s election related shows, but not on DD8217;s.

Dynastic theory

Like the Bourbons, the Gandhis seem to learn nothing and forget nothing. Instead of any introspection on the Congress performance, Sonia8217;s main worry is to keep in check any up-and-coming leader who could pose a threat to the family. Which is why the coterie of Pranab Mukherjee, Makhan Lal Fotedar and Arjun Singh cannot be neutralised. In fact, Mukherjee could end up as party leader in the Rajya Sabha with Manmohan Singh offering to step down. Poor Digvijay Singh is being targeted for being too uppity when his real problem is simply that there are too many leaders 8212; Shukla, Scinida, Vohra, Singh 8212; in his state who are resentful of his popularity. Sonia, meanwhile, is considering taking over the responsibility of opposition leader in the Lok Sabha, if not a pliant N.D. Tiwari will be installed.

Staying on

Thanks to his controversial performance as Urban Developmentminister, neither the Shiv Sena nor anyone from the BJP was interested this time in Ram Jethmalani continuing as a minister. And till the last moment he seemed certain to be dropped. A furious Jethmalani talked of going abroad on the swearing-in day if he was to be humiliated and kept out out of the Cabinet. At the eleventh hour, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu intervened on Jethmalani8217;s behalf. And Naidu is one man whom the Prime Minister cannot say no to. A high-powered businessman building a power plant in Andhra Pradesh requested Naidu to bail out Jethmalani. Double bubbleThe BJP is impressed with the DMK8217;s accommodating spirit. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and his nephew Murasoli Maran had dinner with the PM last Sunday. Vajpayee explained that while he could not oblige Maran with the Finance portfolio, he was allotting the double portfolio of Commerce and Industries instead. Maran thanked the PM for the Commerce portfolio, but pointed out dryly that after liberalisation,there was almost no work left in the Industries ministry thanks to delicensing.

The DMK initially wanted control of the same ministries which Jayalalitha had in the last government. The difference is that the AIADMK had 18 MPs while the DMK has only 10. T.R. Balu was keen on the Petroleum portfolio, was offered Rural Development and after a little bargaining settled for Environment.

Manipulative move

The appointment of a new foreign secretary may create further differences between the Minister for External Affairs Jaswant Singh and the Prime Minister8217;s Principal Secretary, Brajesh Mishra. K. Raghunath, Mishra8217;s favourite, has already been given two extensions and a third would be a flagrant violation of service rules. With Raghunath due to retire on November 30, Lalit Mansingh, High Commissioner in London, is the obvious successor since Shekhar Das Gupta in Brussels has only three months to go for retirement. But a mysterious move to include those a batch junior to Mansingh for the FS8217;s jobsmacks of major manipulation.

Caught out

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For over a year George Fernandes has been trying to convert his Samata Party into a national outfit by swallowing up regional parties. Naveen Patnaik in Orissa sensibly declined Fernandes8217;s overtures but Ramakrishna Hegde walked into Fernandes8217;s trap. Encouraged by Fernandes, Hegde not only merged his Lok Shakti with Fernandes8217;s party but also persuaded J.H. Patel8217;s faction to follow suit. Before the Cabinet formation, Hedge waited patiently for Fernandes to call and discuss ministerial berths with him, but Fernandes avoided his calls. Fernandes hoped he could get away with his double cross by simply blaming it on Vajpayee, but Hegde realised belatedly that he had been taken for a right royal ride by Fernandes.