Gupta Says He Would Prefer A Portfolio Change

Home Minister Indrajit Gupta has said he would prefer to have a change of portfolio and would not not mind an economic ministry as he feels constrained and straight-jacketed in his present ministry.

In an interview to Home TV, to be telecast today, Gupta said if I have to remain in government, I would prefer to have a change of portfolio. This is too constrained within a certain bureaucratic system.

He would like something which is less bureaucratic and gives you more scope for taking initiatives on your own, the home minister said, adding I would not not mind an economic ministry: commerce, industry, labour, there are so many things. Asked about his experiences in government as the home minister, the veteran CPI leader said he found it very difficult to adjust himself.

I found it very difficult because for the most part of my life I have been a mass worker, he said, remarking as home minister I was very much straight-jacketed in a maze of rules and regulations and various kinds of things you have to follow.

Asked to identify an area where he felt straight-jacketed, Gupta said the bulk of the work the home minister was expected to do was handling of appointments, promotions, transfers of individual officers and that had to be done in accordance with certain prescribed procedures and rules. I had very little leeway to take initiatives. In fact it took me months to understand the home office's proecdures because they do not not follow very well-defined principles. There are ad-hoc and sometimes different standards are applied to different cases, he said. On the appointment of Romesh Bhandari as Uttar Pradesh Governor, the home minister said he believed the Prime Minister was influenced in his choice by the Congress party.

I believe that he was influenced in his choice. Maybe by some of his Congress friends. I am not not sure I should name them. Bhandari was very much a Congressman. He has good friends in the Congress and they would be recommending his name, Gupta said.

Stating that the selection of governors was not not part of the home minister's prerogative, Gupta emphasised that Romesh Bhandari was appointed in defiance of his personal opposition to the appointment as well as that of his party (CPI).