Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has indicated a Cabinet reshuffle soon, with some new allies joining the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) coalition.
Returning to New Delhi last night from the G-20 meeting in Mexico and the Earth Summit in Brazil, he told reporters the Trinamool Congress was still part of UPA and he was hopeful about it supporting Pranab Mukherjee’s candidature for the President's post. To a query on whether he was soon going to reshuffle his Cabinet and if some new partners would join, Singh said,"I think that is a legitimate expectation, You will get to know about it when it takes place."
When asked who’d succeed Mukherjee as finance minister and leader of the Lok Sabha, the PM didn’t give a direct reply. "I have been churning it in my mind. Quite honestly, I have a number of issues which I have to resolve. It will not be proper for me to announce while I am outside the country. When the decision is taken, you will get to know about it."
On seeking support from opposition parties to put the economy on the growth track, at a time when the Trinamool Congress, a UPA constituent, was opposing crucial decisions, Singh said he expected each party to play its role in moving this country back to the high growth path India was capable of.
“I cannot discuss domestic politics while I am on a flight outside our country. I am still confident that when it comes to dealing with the basic fundamental problems of our country, all political parties will join hands, whether it is the Trinamool Congress or other parties."
When asked whether he would seek the support of Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee and the Opposition for Pranab's election to President, the PM said he’d already done so. "As soon as we decided upon the nomination, I rang up L K Advaniji, I rang up Sushma Swarajji, Arun Jaitleyji, requesting them to work with the government and the ruling coalition to ensure Pranabji's election takes place unanimously."
And: "I have still not given up hope that the Trinamool Congress will also find its way to support the candidature of Pranab Mukherjee."
