Congress will impress upon its allies in the UPA to keep the “expectations” of the people in mind and nominate leaders with a clean image for ministerial berths.
While the Congress is yet to decide on the next finance minister, the party will impress upon its allies in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) to keep the “expectations” of the people in mind and nominate leaders with a clean image for ministerial berths.
The process of deciding the contours of the next government is likely to pick up speed on Tuesday with the arrival in the capital of DMK chief M Karunanidhi. The UPA leadership will meet at 7 Race Course Road to discuss government formation, the number of ministries each constituent will get, and the allocation of portfolios.
Much like in 2004, the Congress will retain finance, defence, home, commerce, and external affairs. It is also likely to lay claim to the health portfolio. The system of proportional representation adopted last time may be reworked. In 2004, the UPA had agreed on a formula wherein for every five MPs each party was allocated one cabinet berth and a minister of state. Going by this formula, the Congress, with 206 MPs, would be entitled to more than 40 cabinet berths, leaving hardly anything for the allies.
The UPA leadership is also expected to stick to its practice of letting each constituent decide who its representatives in the cabinet will be. The Congress will, however, seek to impress on its allies the need to nominate people with a clean image. “Given the nature of the mandate, the expectations of the people are phenomenal,” said a senior party leader involved in the exercise.
Though no names have been decided, the buzz is that Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee will be offered the railway ministry. If she refuses, she would be asked to nominate someone.
Much of the speculation, however, centres on who the Congress choice to head the finance ministry will be. As first reported by DNA, the three names doing the rounds are those of senior minister Pranab Mukherjee, Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, and former RBI governor C Rangarajan.
Left to Manmohan Singh, the mantle would fall on Ahluwalia, but Sonia Gandhi is believed to favour someone who is not so closely identified with the pro-reforms lobby. Home, defence, and external affairs are likely to continue to be headed by P Chidambaram, AK Antony, and Mukherjee (in case he does not get finance), respectively.
Several senior Congress politicians are also arguing for the induction of a number of younger faces, at least as ministers of state, so that they can be groomed for the future. The issue came up at the core committee meeting on Sunday. Though neither the prime minister nor the UPA chair commented on the suggestion, senior Congress officials believe such a move is imminent.
“We have a pool of bright young men and women; we should induct them so they can be groomed to take over in the next five years,” said a member of the committee.
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