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Mamata set to join Union Cabinet today

By Neena Vyas

NEW DELHI SEPT. 7. The Trinamool Congress leader, Mamata Banerjee, is expected to be inducted into the Union Cabinet tomorrow afternoon.

The expansion of the Cabinet was expected to be limited to Ms. Banerjee and the ``possible replacement'' of the former MDMK representative in the Council of Ministers, Gingee Ramachandran, sources in the Prime Minister's Office said today.

Mr. Ramachandran, who was the Minister of State for Finance (Revenue), had resigned after a member of his personal staff was arrested for allegedly accepting bribes for transfers of income-tax officers.

It was believed that Mr. Vajpayee would like the MDMK to nominate a person to replace Mr. Ramachandran but MDMK sources in Chennai said that Mr. Ramachandran should be reinstated "honourably''. It seems the MDMK had conveyed to the Prime Minister that Mr. Ramachandran could be the only party representative in the Government.

The oath-taking ceremony will take place at 1 p.m. At the last expansion, Ms. Banerjee's induction was expected but after a controversy related to the possible inclusion of her party leader, Sudip Bandopadhyaya, without her consent and despite her opposition, Ms. Banerjee refused to take oath.

Our Thanjavur Staff reporter writes:

The chairman of the MDMK presidium, L. Ganesan, said here today that Mr. Ramachandran would be re-inducted into the Union Cabinet tomorrow.

At a meeting organised by the district unit of the party, Mr. Ganesan said he had received information from sources that Mr. Ramachandran would take oath. He said the move was an indication that the ``allegations of corruption against Mr. Ramachandran were wrong and had no truth in them''.

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