New Delhi: Allies in the United Progressive Alliance are smiling but there is a hitch: the Congress and the DMK can’t agree over allotment of ministries.
Sources tell CNN-IBN that DMK chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi wants three ministries for his party MPs but the Congress insists on allotting them two.
Senior Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee met Karunanidhi on Wednesday and discussed allotting cabinet berths for the DMK, which has 18 members in the Lok Sabha and is the third largest constituent of the UPA after the Congress and the Trinamool Congress.
The Congress is not keen on retaining DMK leaders T R Baalu and D Raja as Union Ministers because of controversies surrounding their tenure. Baalu is Minister for Shipping, Road transport and Highways and Raja is in charge of the Communication and Information Technology Ministry.
Sources tell CNN-IBN the Congress has offered two cabinet berths to M K Azhagiri and Dayanidhi Maran, the DMK chief’s son and grand nephew.
Sources say the DMK has demanded the Communication and IT Ministry for Maran but the Congress willing to give him only IT department.
Karunanidhi’s daughter Kanimozhi is likely to be appointed as a Minister of State in the Tourism or Health ministries.
The DMK is not buying the bargain, saying it has 18 MPs and deserves to get more Cabinet berths. The Congress has reportedly offered three Cabinet berths to the Trinamool Congress, which has 19 MPs. Sources say DMK wants to be treated at par with the Trinamool.
The decision about top ministries is almost over, say sources. Mukherjee, who is regarded as second in command after the Prime Minister, is likely to be made Finance Minister.
The External Affairs Ministry is likely to go to Kamal Nath, Commerce Minister in the last government, or UP Congress leader Salman Khursheed.
P Chidambaram is likely to continue as Home Minister.
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