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Ministerial aspirants still hopeful

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

Ministerial aspirants among Bharatiya Janata Party Members of Parliament hoping to find berths in the Vajpayee government are either maintaining a diplomatic silence over their exclusion or are optimistic that their efforts will be rewarded later.

Party MP, former Union minister and former Delhi chief minister Madan Lal Khurana, who had recently rattled the party leadership by criticising the government's price hike in the Public Distribution Scheme foodgrain and subsidy cuts, including fertilisers, said that if destiny willed he would once again wear the mantle of a Union minister, he would become one.

"If destined to be made a minister in the government, I will become one. Other than that I am preoccupied in highlighting people's problems, raising them Parliament and outside. I will continue doing so."

Khurana said he would not compromise with his determination to raise issues which were important to voters and that the question of being a minister was secondary.

Former Delhi chief minister and BJP MP Sahib Singh Verma sought to shrug off his exclusion, saying that the "Cabinet expansion is the prerogative of the prime minister, so nobody can really comment on it". His statement notwithstanding, it was apparent that Verma was disappointed, but refused to say anything more.

Verma's supporters, outside the BJP headquarters, were disappointed, but pointed out that they had not lost hope. Said Barun Chopra, a follower of Verma, "Of course, we are disappointed with his exclusion, but he may be inducted the next time.''

Chopra indicated that Verma, who won from Outer Delhi parliamentary constituency, had been counselled restraint and was told that this cabinet expansion was probably not the last by the prime minister.

He explained that with four BJP MPs waiting in the wings, the prime minister was confronted with a tough choice on whom to include. Chopra also pointed out that the party leadership was preoccupied with ensuring Ram Prakash Gupta government's survival in Uttar Pradesh, where its allies, especially the Loktantrik Congress Party, threatened to withdraw support if Hardwar is included in the proposed Uttaranchal state comprising the hilly region.

The BJP high command has taken the possible collapse of the government seriously and is said to be looking for a suitable replacement for Gupta.

Union Surface Transport Minister Rajnath Singh, entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring the government's survival, is exploring whether any central leader can replace him. This had provided hope to the MPs excluded from the Cabinet expansion.

Party MP Vijay Kumar Malhotra said, "The expansion is the prime minister's prerogative, so your question is irrelevant."

Former Union information and broadcasting minister and former Delhi chief minister Sushma Swaraj was not available for comment. However, her supporters at the party office pointed out, "Madame is too talented a party leader to be ignored for long by the high command. Even during the Bellary parliamentary polls, she gave Congress president Sonia Gandhi a run for her money. She is an acknowledged leader and nobody can prevent her from returning to prominence, among the ruling elite."

BJP sources maintained that given former party rebel Kalyan Singh's case, the high command was quick to tackle dissent with disciplinary action, as seen by the eventual expulsion of Kalyan Singh.

EARLIER REPORT:

Nitesh Kumar back in Cabinet

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