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Will Pachouri, Rajasekharan continue as Ministers?

Gargi Parsai

Speculation of Cabinet reshuffle
Congress sources: there can be some change in portfolios

NEW DELHI: The possibility of a Union Cabinet reshuffle became strong amidst speculation on the continuation of Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Personnel and Training Suresh Pachouri and Minister of State for Planning M.V. Rajasekharan in the Union Council after their Rajya Sabha term ends early next month. Both of them could not be renominated to the Rajya Sabha.

Congress sources hinted at a Cabinet reshuffle during the recess in the budget session. The first part of the session concludes on February 20.

Mr. Pachouri, who has recently been appointed Pradesh Congress Committee president for Madhya Pradesh, could not get a fifth term from the State, where the party lacks numbers. There was an attempt to renominate him from Andhra Pradesh, but at the last minute the party announced the names of K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao, a close aide of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, and tribal leader and former MLA T. Ratnabai.

Mr. Rajasekharan is the Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka, which is under President’s rule.

6 months time

Speaking to The Hindu, Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said that under the Constitution any person could be a Minister for six months without being a member of either House provided he or she gets elected within six months.

Asked whether it would be morally correct for a person who is a PCC president in a State and who ceases to be a member of either House to continue to be a Union Minister, Mr. Singhvi said: “What is constitutionally prescribed, cannot be morally incorrect.”

However, there is no clarity on whether both the Ministers would have to take fresh oath of office.

Congress sources said there could be some change in portfolios as Mr. Pachouri is expected to shed the portfolio of Personnel and Training. Information and Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi is also expected to give up the charge of Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs as he too has been made West Bengal PCC chief and has additional responsibilities. The name of Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi is doing the rounds for being given the additional charge of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.

Vacant posts

At the same time, the Lieutenant Governor post in Puducherry and the Governor’s vacancy in Maharashtra also have to be filled up. The former Puducherry Lt. Governor, Mukut Mithi, has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha from Arunachal Pradesh, while the former Maharashtra Governor, S.M. Krishna, has returned to active politics in Karnataka.

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