Congress mulls 'one minister, one ministry' policy for allies

With 206 MPs in the party and “unconditional support” pouring in from various quarters, Congress managers are unwilling to give anything extra to the allies in the next governement. Unlike last time, when ministers from partner parties enjoyed more than one ministry, the Congress may now stick to a “one minister, one ministry” policy for its alliance partners.

This will mean ministers from other parties will only get single portfolios. Last time, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Ram Vilas Paswan was the Cabinet minister of steel as well as chemical and fertilisers. Similarly, Sharad Pawar, the Nationalist Congress Party chief, held the dual portfolio of agriculture as well as food and civil supplies. TR Baalu of the DMK was Union minister of shipping along with road transport and highways.

“Some of our allies didn’t have enough competent MPs in their party to become ministers. But they enjoyed their quota of portfolios, giving multiple assignments to selected ministers. This time, the prime minister is not very keen to repeat this model,” said a Congress minister.

Split in portfolios?
To confine the allies’ ministers in single portfolios, the Congress brass is contemplating splitting a few ministries. This move will also enable the government to recruit more Congress ministers in the Cabinet and balance the political equations of various states and castes. A section of the party also feels that the commerce and industry ministry —currently held by Kamal Nath — should be divided into two separate portfolios this time.

“Commerce requires a lot of attention, especially in the area of foreign trade, while the industry ministry clubbed with the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) can be made into a separate ministry,” an official in the Prime Minister’s Office told Business Standard.

Agriculture and food and civil supplies, too, may be given to two different ministers, distributing them between alliance partners.

While the DMK — the second largest ally of the Congress in the 15th Lok Sabha after the Trinamool Congress — has already demanded the shipping ministry, it is learnt that the prime minister is not happy with the performance of the road and highways ministry over the last five years. Baalu headed both the ministries last time but now the Congress might appoint its own minister in the portfolio.

Infrastructure and social sector mix
As partner parties are generally perceived to be interested in plum portfolios in infrastructure like civil aviation, telecommunication, shipping, road and highways, the Congress brass may force the allies to take up social sector responsibilities as well. “We may ask our allies to take one social sector ministry along with a portfolio in the infrastructure sector. Both sectors are considered to be extremely important for the Congress and for the country. They will have to show some responsibilities while enjoying the power in ministries,” said a senior minister. This move will also ensure that the Congress can keep some of the key infrastructure portfolios with it, especially where the performances were not impressive last time.

After winning 206 seats in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress managers feel the verdict is in favour of the party to play a bigger role.