15 New Faces In Ministry Likely

Prime Minister A B Vajpayee is likely to expand his Union Council of Ministers within this week by inducting around fifteen new faces, mostly junior ministers, according to a Prime Minister aide.

The Prime Minister is likely to meet President K R Narayanan in this regard today. Narayanan, who returned after a long tour only yesterday, could not meet the Prime Minister because he was resting.

The expansion is crucial before the Budget session of Parliament commences on May 27 as some of the BJPs allies are finding it difficult to contain their frustration. Many senior leader of these parties are expecting their induction in the ministry.

Samata Party is said to be one such party facing major problems from within. A party with 12 twelve MPs in the Lok Sabha, the party has already got two key Cabinet portfolios. While George Fernandes is the defence minister, Nitish Kumar is the Railway Minister. But there are senior aspirants like former Bihar Chief Minister Abdul Gafoor who is sulking over his neglect. The Prime Minister is thus faced with the difficult task of evenly distributing ministries and portfolios among the representatives of various allies.

However, the aspirants are pressing the Prime Minister to go by seniority and experience while distributing portfolios.

A Prime Minister aide has already ruled out induction of a large number of Cabinet ministers. But there will have to be at least three to four ministers of the Cabinet rank to look after important ministries like agriculture, communications and surface transport.

AIADMK is sure to get one Cabinet berth to fill up the vacancy caused by the resignation of M Muthaiah, the surface transport minister. The Minister had to quit following framing of charges by a court against him in a corruption case last month.

In the process of adjusting various allies, the Prime Minister had to make some sacrifices for his own party, and this time round even that has to be arrested.

Besides, the need for proper balancing of the ministry by giving representations to all communities, regions would also tie his hands to some extent in accommodating those who may be the choice of his alliance partners.