UPA postpones cabinet expansion amid row over portfolios

26 May 2009

The Manmohan Singh cabinet has deferred the second phase of expansion scheduled for Tuesday, due to last-minute wrangling over berths and ministries. As many as 50 ministers, including 10 with cabinet rank and 40 ministers of state were to be sworn in today.

As of now, party considerations have a greater say in portfolio allocation while Congress president and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi is reported to be in favour of a better balance of regions and caste in the new cabinet. There is pressure to have greater representation of Muslims, Dalits and women.

UPA allies are also worried that the Congress leaders are cornering key portfolios while the seemingly less important ones are being given to partners.

There is, in fact, a rush of Congress candidates from states like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh, where the party has fared better. All of them, including some former chief ministers, are vying for key portfolios.

At least two former chief ministers, Vir Bhadra Singh from Himachal Pradesh and Vilasrao Deshmukh from Maharashtra, are seeking cabinet ranks.  Congress MP from Uttar Pradesh, Beni Prasad Verma, is also in the fray for a cabinet berth.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah is also expecting a cabinet berth while opposition leader in Karntaka, Malikarjuna Kharge also wants a cabinet berth.