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| Azad tipped to be Minister, Farooq elbowing in Delhi | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
Jammu, May 19: While Congress General Secretary and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has reportedly been picked up by the Congress leadership for a top Ministry in the United Progressive Alliance government, the National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah is seriously jostling for a Ministerial position in New Delhi.
Interestingly, with bright prospects of Ghulam Nabi Azad and Dr Farooq Abdullah, things are seen becoming tougher for the two Congress MPs Madan Lal Sharma and Lal Singh in getting a Ministerial position in New Delhi. Both, Madan and Lal Singh have won their second Lok Sabha elections from Jammu-Poonch and Udhampur-Doda constituencies, respectively, and are reportedly seriously lobbying for a chance in the UPA Ministry.
A day after ‘inducting’ the newly elected Independent Member of Parliament in the alliance, the National Conference president Abdullah today rushed in to New Delhi to handover his party’s support to the United Progressive Alliance. Farooq met the UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and is slated to attend a meeting of alliance partners tomorrow.
Reports said that Ghulam Nabi Azad is among the top five contenders of Ministry and is expected to get a key department. Coming out of the turmoil of Jammu and Kashmir, Azad has been credited by the Congress leadership for his performance in Orrissa and Tamil Nadu even though the party did not perform too well in these states.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that several fresh faces are expected in the new Cabinet of Manmohan Singh with the Congress in a more comfortable position due to its numbers and its dependence on allies reducing sharply.
Prime Minister has already extended an invitation to Rahul Gandhi for joining his Cabinet in view of the young leader's contribution to the victory of the party.
While it is not clear whether Gandhi will accept the invitation, several other young leaders are expected to find a place in the new council of ministers which party sources suggest will be a "balanced affair".
Several vacancies have already arisen with the defeat of dozen-odd ministers in the outgoing cabinet including Ram Vilas Paswan, A R Antulay, Mani Shankar Aiyar, Shankersinh Vaghela.
It is unclear whether RJD chief Lalu Prasad, who is currently the Railway Minister, will find a berth in the Cabinet as a section of the Congress feel that unless Prasad is neglected, the party cannot revive in Bihar.
Congress has left it to SP supremo Mulayam Singh to take a decision about joining the Cabinet.
Unlike in 2004, Congress being in commanding position, the portfolios to be offered to the allies could also be of less significance.
Party sources said that there was unlikely to be key portfolios being given to non-Congress members of the UPA.
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