Amid rising prices of foodgrains, voices are emerging in the central government that portfolios ofagriculture and consumer affairs, held by Sharad Pawar, should be segregated as there could be a conflict of interest between the two.
Hints in this regard were dropped by a union minister today while contending that there is a "conflict of interest between producers and consumers" while referring to the dual portfolios held by Pawar.
The questioning of Pawar holding the portfolios of agriculture as well as consumer affairs, Food and Public Distribution came amid rising prices of food items, for which the agriculture minister has become the focal point of attack.
Pawar, leader of key UPA constituent NCP, had come under sharp criticism at the meeting of Congress Working Committee (CWC) yesterday on the issue of price rise.
Union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and senior leaders RK Dhawan and Satyabrata Chaturvedi did not take Pawar's name but gave a clear message that the handling of agriculture and concerned ministries held by him was not upto the mark.
Chaturvedi had sometime back demanded that Pawar be divested of ministries concerning consumer affairs as its interest ran counter to that of the agriculture ministry.
Prime minister Manmohan Singh is reported to have told his Congress colleagues that he has taken note of their suggestions made at the meeting.
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