Four days ago, the 15-day window given to former External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh to clear up his office got over. So gone is his 43-strong workforce and the 10 cars that were exclusive to him.Now on, Natwar, as Cabinet Minister without portfolio, will sit in the office earlier occupied by former Minister of State for Overseas Indian Affairs Jagdish Tytler in Akbar Bhavan. Even that was in danger of slipping away after Oscar Fernandes was handed charge of the ministry in the recent re-allocation of portfolios. The latter, however, decided to continue operating from his current office in the Sports Ministry. Singh’s staff has cleared up the South Block office barring one room which is expected to be vacated soon.According to the Cabinet Secretariat, Natwar is entitled to two cars and a 15-member staff. While the MEA can let the cars be taken from its stable, much of the staff will have to be new. If Natwar wants to retain old faces, the MEA will have to send these personnel on deputation to the Cabinet Secretariat.Natwar, who had to give up the MEA portfolio after his name appeared in the Volcker committee findings, may take time getting used to the sharp fall in privilege. He and his personal staff had got used to wielding a heavy stick of authority in the MEA dictating terms on postings and of late, even halting the execution of contracts through EXIM Bank.But what irked senior babus in the MEA most was a recent order that the External Affairs Minister will examine the confidential reports of all joint secretaries and above posted in the headquarters at Delhi. This authority has traditionally been with the Foreign Secretary.It also meant that Natwar’s office and his personal staff could call the shots—had it not been for the Volcker cloud. Natwar will find it difficult to call the shots from Akbar Bhavan. He will no longer be in the loop on foreign policy and security matters, and will not participate in the meetings of the Cabinet Committee on Security. In short, without a portfolio, he will have to wait for an invite to be part of any major policy interaction.
