NEW DELHI, 21 May 2004 — The first disturbing signals are said to have come from a chief ally of Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal as the push and pull for Cabinet posts began in earnest.
Stalwarts of the Congress party are expected to dominate the Cabinet of the new coalition government but the Finance Ministry could go to a non-politician, party sources said yesterday.
Meanwhile, RJD leader Laloo Prasad Yadav is reportedly annoyed by the Congress decision not to allot him the Home Ministry, which is reportedly to be headed by Arjun Singh.
Laloo, meanwhile, refuted these charges saying, “I make prime ministers and ministers, why should I cry over a portfolio? After all we are the largest ally of the Congress when it comes to numbers.”
“Ask Sonia Gandhi or any other Congress leader whether I have demanded any portfolio. I want a prosperous Bihar and a strong nation,” Laloo added.
Earlier, there was little doubt about RJD joining the government, now the party has changed its stand.
“Options are open,” Laloo said, as signals are being emitted that RJD could well not join the government if the party is not allotted portfolios of its choice.
Besides, a section of RJD members are insistent on the party first extracting an assurance from the center on a Bihar package before it joins the government.
“We have left it to Laloo Prasad Yadav to take a decision (to join or not), but Bihar’s interest comes first,” senior MP Raghuvansh Prasad Singh said.
Meanwhile, the top name for foreign minister was Kunwar Natwar Singh, a former junior foreign minister who attended most meetings between Congress President Sonia Gandhi and international dignitaries.
C. Rangarajan, chairman of the appointed Finance Commission which guides economic policy, was being frequently mentioned in political circles as finance minister, party sources said.
Incoming prime minister Manmohan Singh, himself a former civil servant and finance minister, was said to favor the “professional” Rangarajan but could keep the finance portfolio himself.
Other potential names for the key post include former Reserve Bank of India governor Bimal Jalan and former finance ministers Pranab Mukherjee and P. Chidambarum.
Potential home ministers include party veterans Arjun Singh, who held the post in the last Congress government that took power in 1991, and Ghulam Nabi Azad, the Congress leader in Kashmir.
Congress is ruling in a coalition with some 20 parties, which will seek posts in the Cabinet.
But some top Congress figures were said to want to devote themselves to posts in the party, believing the power center would remain with Sonia Gandhi.
