DMK may push Baalu for oil portfolio

With the DMK deciding to join the Congress-led government at the Centre, the chances of the party's nominee bagging the high-profile portfolio of petroleum are bright.

Speculations are rife in the ministry that DMK President M Karunanidhi may propose the name of his close aide and former minister of state for petroleum TR Baalu for the coveted post.

Officials are of the opinion that since the Congress Party's most impressive performance was in Tamil Nadu, where the party and its allies won all the 39 seats, it might reward the DMK, which won in 16 constituencies, with a good portfolio.

The DMK is expected to recommend Baalu's name for the post.

Baalu was the environment minister till December 2003, when his party quit the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance coalition. Before that he was the petroleum minister for state for two years till 1998.

The other name for the post doing the rounds is Ettiyan Ponnuswamy, a Tamil Nadu MP of the PMK "" another Congress ally.

PMK has won five Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu. Ponnuswamy was minister of state for petroleum for a year under Ram Naik.