The Hindu : National : Congress still finalising list for Maharashtra Cabinet expansion

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Nov 08, 2004

National

National

Congress still finalising list for Maharashtra Cabinet expansion

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, NOV. 7. The Cabinet expansion in Maharashtra will take place on Tuesday. The Chief Minister, Vilasrao Deshmukh, held a series of meetings hereon Sunday with Congress leaders, including the party president, Sonia Gandhi. The party is stillfinalising the names of new Ministers and a clear picture is likely after Mr. Deshmukh's meeting with Ms. Gandhi on Monday afternoon.

The party's task has become tougher as its share of ministerial berths has dwindled to 18, due to its deal with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Moreover, it has to allot two berths to the Independents also from its share.

After meeting Ms. Gandhi, Mr. Deshmukh told mediapersons that the party was trying togive adequate representation to regional and social groups with a view to inductingnew talent.

Mr. Deshmukh arrived hereon Sunday morning and spent the day in discussions with the party leadership. He firstheld a meeting with the AICC general secretary in-charge of Maharashtra affairs, Margaret Alva, along with the Pradesh Congress chief, Prabha Rao, and the MPCC president, Gurudas Kamat.

Later, he met Ms. Gandhi, along with Ms. Alva. The leadership would also like to benefit from the inputs of Ahmad Patel, the political secretary to Ms. Gandhi. Mr. Patel is away on a pilgrimage abroad and will be backtomorrow.

"Every new Chief Minister brings in some new faces. At the same time, we also have to make it representative in character and it will have to be a mixture of youth and experience," he said.

Mr. Deshmukh denied that the leadership was under pressure and said the current exercise was aimed at getting the regional and social composition right.

"We are under no pressure at all. The aim is to have people with a good image and ability," he said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National