New Delhi: Lalu, Oscar in Ministerial Race ?

Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi (SP)

New Delhi, Jul 9: Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, is likely to take up the exercise of reshuffle and expansion of his ministry in an effort to bring back a semblance of credibility to his beleaguered cabinet during the next week. If the rumour mills are to be believed, law and justice minister, Veerappa Moily, may be given a different responsibility, and Rajya Sabha member, Oscar Fernandes, may be inducted into the cabinet.

Lalu Prasad Yadhav, who left Congress alliance just before the Parliament election in 2009, is lobbying hard to get ministerial birth at the centre. He has been reportedly stationed in Delhi for the last 4-5 days. Though his party has just 5 MPs in Parliament, he is said to have intensified his lobbying efforts soon after Maran's departure from cabinet.

In all likelihood, DMK, which is battered because of the alleged involvement of its leaders in 2G spectrum scam, will not lay claim on a cabinet berth in place of Maran. Manmohan Singh reportedly is against the induction of DMK MP, T R Baalu, again in the cabinet because of his lackadaisical past performance. The Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi, it is said, want to fill the vacancies, apart from lessening the burden from the shoulders of ministers vested with a number of departments. As a result, ministers like Kapil Sibal, Vilasrao Deshmukh, Salman Khurshid etc., who have been handling more than one important portfolio, may be relieved of their additional burdens.

Congress will retain important portfolios with itself. After Maran left the cabinet on Thursday, finance minister, Pranab Mukherjee, and Sonia’s political secretary, Ahmed Patel, met Sonia and held discussions. Pranab Mukherjee is set to hold discussions with Karunanidhi today at Chennai on this aspect.

It is said that minister for state in finance ministry, Palanimanickam from DMK, may get cabinet berth. A couple of DMK MPs may be absorbed as ministers of state, while Congress ministers, Kantilal Bhuria, B K Handique, and M S Gill may be dropped. Oscar Fernandes has a bright chance of getting elevated as minister, sources said.