NEW DELHI, June 28 – The game of musical chairs among the ministerial aspirants has begun with the AICC constituting a three-member panel to handle downsizing of ministries in consultation with general secretaries-in-charge, chief ministers and PCC chiefs.
Although the three-member committee comprising AICC president’s political secretary, Ahmed Patel, general secretary, Ambika Soni and Treasurer Motilal Vohra is set to formally begin its sittings from tomorrow, preliminary talks with the State leadership have already got under way. Amidst rising tension among the aspirants, chief ministers of the Congress-ruled States have started arriving in the capital ostensibly to participate in the conference of chief Ministers convened by Prime Minister to discuss the rural development and Panchayati Raj Assam Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi who arrived in the capital this evening is expected to call on AICC president, Sonia Gandhi to discuss downsizing of his ministry. He is likely to finalise his new team in consultations with the three-member panel. Chief Ministers of other Congress-ruled North Eastern States including that of Meghalaya, DD Lapang and Manipur O Ibobi Singh have also landed in the capital. Party sources said AICC was toying with the idea of going in for a re-shuffle of portfolios co-inciding with pruning exercise. In case of States like Asssam where the Government has couple of years to go, the AICC favours complete reshuffle of portfolios, sources said.
The three-member panel has had informal discussions with PCC chiefs to work out a set of criteria to be adopted for downsizing. The three broad principles that have been adopted included Party’s performance during the last Lok Sabha polls in the concerned Assembly segment concerned, his track record particularly corruption charges and performance. The criteria apart, the inputs provided by Chief Ministers, AICC in-charge and PCC chiefs would also have a major bearing on finalisation of the new team. In case of Assam, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, former MP Chief Minister, Digvijay Singh, who is in-charge for the State and PCC president, Paban Singh Ghatowar would play a major role.
Tug-of-war: Meanwhile, the tug of war for ministerial berths in the run up to downsizing of the ministry has forced aspirants to pull out all stops in unleashing a massive lobbying campaign. The arrival of outgoing ministers, aspiring MLAs accompanied by their supporters has heated up the political atmosphere in the capital. If open dissension among a section of Congress MLAs in Manipur Bhavan held up a crucial meeting of the State Party leadership with AICC High Command, the scenario in two of the State’s guesthouses was no better. Even as behind the scene activities gathered momentum, ministerial aspirants have air dashed to the Capital to lobby for berths. Pankaj Bora, Devananda Konwar, Robin Bordoloi and Ripon Bora were among a few outgoing ministers who arrived this evening. They joined their colleagues like D.P.Gowala, Nilomoni Sen Deka, Ismail Hussain among others who were camping here since last week.
Besides Congress MLAs Sadik Majumdar, Aftabuddin Mullah, Sheikh Shah Alam, Hoosenara Islam, BS Engleng among others have also pitched camps here. They have all started pulling strings, meeting senior AICC leaders and making rounds of 24 Akbar Road Office of the Party. In the all-out war some of the aspirants have started digging up dirt against their colleagues. The favourite weapon being the names of ministers and MLAs who figures in the crude oil pilferage scam. Photocopies of news reports about the scam in plenty have been submitted to AICC leaders, a senior Congressmen confided.
Some of the hate campaign has also been directed against Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi’s close confidante and Minister of State, Himanta Biswa Sarma. To the delight of his detractors a national daily yesterday carried a front-page story about Assam Government’s latest attempt to have his name cleared by dropping the TADA charges pending against him to ensure his entry into the ministry. A senior AICC leader commenting on the issue said that they would seek a clarification from Chief Minister. But charges apart, the junior minister is among the hot favourites to retain his berth in the ministry on the basis of his performance as a minister, sources said, adding that Chief Minister is also expected to back him.
Political grapevine has it that Devananda Konwar faces the axe, while outgoing PWD Minister, Sarat Borkotoki might just manage to save his job because of PCC chief Paban Singh Ghatowar’s backing. Some of the other high profile ministers like Dr Bhumidhar Barman, Bharat Narah, Anjan Dutta, Bhubaneswar Kalita, Gautam Roy may be retained albeit with changed portfolios. Minority MLAs like Ismail Hussain and Wajid Ali Choudhury’s services are also tipped to be retained, it was reported. The outgoing Power minister’s case has further weakend after Minister of State for Defence, Bijoy Krishna Hendique lodged complaints against him for allegedly trying to sabotage his prospects.