Singh gets a taste of coalition politics

MANDATE 2004

Prime Minister-designate Manmohan Singh got a dose of coalition politics when some of the Congress' allies yesterday appeared to hijack the government formation exercise.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Laloo Prasad Yadav and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Sharad Pawar drove a hard bargain over portfolios, but seemed to come around to the Congress' formula by late evening.

Laloo's last-minute tantrums were being attributed to his insistence on the home portfolio, the most sensitive ministry in the Cabinet. Pawar had a meeting with Laloo in the afternoon, reportedly to forge a joint front to strengthen their bargaining power, as together they account for 30 seats in the Lok Sabha.

Sources, however, have a different take on the issue. "With just 21 MPs, Laloo cannot dream of getting the home portfolio. Arjun Singh and Pranab Mukherjee are locked in a tussle for the post, with Mukherjee being backed by Ambika Soni," said a source in the Congress.

Soni and Pawar are old friends, having once left the Congress together to form the Congress (S). Pawar, Soni and Laloo, according to sources, ganged up to prevent Singh from becoming the home minister.

Sources say that despite all this, Mukherjee may go on to head the home ministry, and Arjun Singh is likely to get the human resources development portfolio.

Though Congress Spokesperson Jaipal Reddy's name was in circulation earlier for the Lok Sabha Speaker's post, he is now believed to be getting his earlier charge, the information and broadcasting ministry.

The favourite for the post of external affairs minister is senior Congress leader Natwar Singh.

Among the allies, Lokjanshakti Party chief Ramvilas Paswan will be offered the telecom ministry, a post he had occupied before. Laloo may finally be offered the railway ministry, especially in view of the fact that the railway recruitment exercise is round the corner.

"Laloo will probably decline joining the Cabinet, and his party colleagues Raghuvansh Prasad and Kanti Singh will most likely be in the ministerial panel. A financial package for Bihar could also be part of the deal," said a senior Congress leader. Kanti Singh's name was being discussed for the civil aviation ministry.

Congress' Meira Kumar, who won from Sasaram in Bihar, will be offered the social justice and empowerment ministry. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), it appears, has clinched the environment, surface transport and infotech portfolios.

While details of the swearing-in ceremony remain a mystery, the chopping and changing of the ministers' list is likely to continue through Friday night.

While a section of the government is of the view that Singh should take oath with a small council of ministers (less than 20 people), there is another view that 40 ministers be sworn in at one go.