Hard task for Prime Minister
By Kalyani Shankar
For the past few days, there is a lot of speculation about the impending cabinet reshuffle. Aspirants are sitting near the telephone waiting for that important phone call form the Prime Minister’s residence while those in the council of ministers are nervous about their continuance as it has been said that the Prime Minister may axe those who had not performed well. This has provoked a tongue in cheek remark that it should begin from the top.
Ironically the capital was full of rumours even about a possibility of change at the top when some Congress leaders like Digvijay Singh, Motilal Vohra and Birendra Singh had started talking about Rahul Gandhi talking over as PM. This was scotched immediately when apparently there were protests from 7, Race Course Road. Now that the uncertainty has ended after the Congress has affirmed the good work done by the Prime Minister pointing out there is no vacancy, it is time that Singh and Sonia Gandhi come out with the cabinet list.
Why is there a need for a cabinet reshuffle? First of all it is an opportunity to look at the performance of the cabinet and time to assess the UPA 2 cabinet, as it is over two years since it took over. The government does not give an image of cohesiveness. Even within the Congress, instances like the rivalry between the Finance Minister and Home Minister have come out in the open. The bugging of Finance minister’s office has shocked the political class. If any mid- course correction is required it has to be done now. Secondly, the Prime Minister himself has announced some time ago that he will go for a big reshuffle before the next Parliament session. The next session may begin on August 1 and therefore there is some urgency to carry out a reshuffle.
Thirdly, the PM had undertaken earlier reshuffles without touching the allies but there is a necessity to consult the allies this time. The DMK- Congress relationship has soured after the arrest of the DMK M.P and former chief minister Karunanidhi’s daughter Kanimozhi and that of former minister A. Raja. There is also the Damocles’ sword hanging over the head of another DMK minister Dayanidhi Maran on the 2 G scam and the CBI is already investigating it. It is a question mark whether the DMK will continue its ties with the Congress although it will swallow all humiliation for the time being for political compulsions. The first is to decide whether to drop Maran and the second is to get two new names from Karunanidhi. It is now said that the Congress would like to hold on to Telecom and may not offer the ministry to the DMK, Karunanidhi has shown his annoyance by not meeting the PM or Sonia Gandhi during his recent visits to Delhi.
The Trinamool Congress, another ally of the Congress also needs to do some thinking about its candidates for the cabinet. The Trinamool chief and the new West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has recently met Singh and had discussions about the names from her party. Her party has the second biggest contingent in the UPA and can even get four cabinet berths like the DMK but Mamata does not want any cabinet posts. It is to be seen whether she would seek elevation of her party minister. She is particular about holding on to the Railways, which she had headed earlier. So consultations with the TMC are on. As for NCP, and National Conference and Muslim League there will be no change as their quota is full.
Then comes the tricky issue of keeping or sacking the Congress ministers. The Prime Minister alone cannot decide this as it is a well known fact that the final say remains with the Congress President Sonia Gandhi. Quite often the new ministers get phone calls from 10 Janpath rather than 7, Race Course Road about their selection. There is talk in the corridors of power about Home Minister P. Chidambaram getting a new portfolio, Punjab Governor Shivraj Patil coming back to the cabinet, External Affairs minister S.M. Krishna going to Karnataka as its PCC chief. There is also talk about ministers like M.S. Gill being dropped. Inducting a minister in the cabinet is easy but dropping a minister is difficult as any Prime Minister or chief minister will vouch for. All these may or may not happen but if the PM wants to have a younger cabinet, he will have to look for younger talent. That is why the exercise is difficult.
Another problem is how to accommodate “migrant birds” like the new entrants to Congress from other parties. BJP leader from Maharashtra Gopinath Munde is one of them waiting to change over to the Congress. He is aspiring for a ministership. His entry and importance will depend on how much the Maharashtra Congress needs him. The AICC is looking for OBC faces and he is an important OBC leader. Moreover, the BJP would be affected by his exit.
Secondly, the Congress is focusing on U.P elections next year. Getting the support of the RLD is quite crucial for the party. There is speculation of giving a cabinet berth to the RLD chief Alit Singh. These political considerations are also important.
Some ministers are holding temporary charge of big ministries like Kapil Sibal. He is the minister for Human Resources Development but also holds charge of communications, there are several other aspirants who are looking for employment. The government work suffers because of this uncertainty. Unless the Prime Minister distributes portfolios and chooses the right man for the right job, the governance will suffer.
There is a need to make the pubic feel that there is stability in the government and also the government is performing. Facing one crisis after the other for the past few months, the governance deficit needs to be addressed first. Prime Minister should not miss this opportunity to show to the country that all is not lost and there is still hope. (IPA Service)