Cabinet reshuffle postponed

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, MAY 23. With the Sheila Dikshit Government crossing the halfway mark in its five-year term, the party high command is learnt to have undertaken a review of the performance of the Ministry. This has put on hold, for the time being, plans for a Cabinet reshuffle.

Insiders said the high command has turned down a proposal to effect a Cabinet reshuffle and, instead, had sought a status report on the working of the Ministers. In fact, the Ministers' performance is expected to come up for discussion at the summit of Congress(I) Chief Ministers' which the party president, Ms. Sonia Gandhi, proposes to hold soon. It is understood the leadership is not happy with the functioning of some Ministers and the way certain issues had been handled recently.

Sources said the leadership had sought to review specially the status of the various welfare schemes undertaken by Delhi Government with regard to women, Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes, Dalits and the downtrodden. The performance of these departments and schemes is expected to come under the scanner during this exercise. Sources said based on the status reports and inputs received, the leadership would address the question of effecting a reshuffle.

It is understood that the Chief Minister, Ms. Sheila Dikshit, is keen on making changes in her Cabinet to give it a new look and also improve the efficiency. She is believed to have broached up the topic with Ms.Sonia Gandhi, and other Central leaders to build a consensus within the party. In fact, much has been talked about the under-performance of certain Ministers and the way their Departments are suffering due to lack of governance and proper monitoring. The Social Welfare Minister, Ms.Krishna Tirath's name is being mentioned in this context. It is no secret that she does not get along with the Chief Minister on a number of issues.

Similarly, there is a view gaining ground that in view of the continued ill-health of the Finance Minister, Mr. Mahinder Singh Saathi, the high command should scout for some other person to bring about vibrancy in the Government. Mr. Saathi has not been keeping well and has been abstaining from office, affecting the functioning of the Departments.

On the other hand, there is also pressure on the Chief Minister to effect changes in the portfolios of some Ministers who have failed to live up to expectations. It is mentioned that the Power Minister, Dr. Narendra Nath, is burdened with the Industry and Education portfolio as well. It is felt that the burden should be lessened and shifted to some other Minister to speed up the process of power reforms and at the same time ensure an efficient relocation of industries. It is understood that the Chief Minister has also initiated an exercise to rationalise distribution of the portfolios to remove any discrepancy or clash among the Ministers.

Those in the race for Cabinet berths will have to wait for some more time as a final decision is expected only after the assessment of the performance of the Ministers and how the party president views the situation.

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