New Delhi, May 22
Although Prime Minister Manmohan Singh began his second innings as head of the new UPA government today in the backdrop of the unresolved controversy over the sharing of ministerial berths with the DMK, this minor irritant was not allowed to cast a shadow over the swearing in ceremony of the new UPA government.
The mood at Rashtrapati Bhavan’s Ashoka Hall was clearly celebratory when the new ministers took their oath this evening. There were several rounds of handshakes and hugs. Congratulations were the order of the day even as little thought was given to the absence of the DMK representatives in today’s list of ministers.
Both Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh looked relaxed and could not stop smiling even when questioned persistently by mediapersons over the continuing differences with the DMK, labelled as the Congress’s most dependent partner.
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A man in hurry
Congress leader Kamal Nath has a reputation for being a man in a hurry and this was proved so at the swearing-in ceremony of the new government today. First, he started his oath even before President Pratibha Patil’s customary lead. He then started to walk away without signing the register. Needless to say, the whole house erupted in laughter, bringing in more than a touch of humour to the otherwise serious proceedings.
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An unfazed PM maintained there might be a deadlock over allocation of ministerial berths but was confident that the DMK would be back. Talking to presspersons after the swearing-in, Manmohan Singh dismissed any talk of a crisis in government formation. “There is no crisis. The DMK is still our supporting partner,” he said, adding that the DMK leadership had sought time on the proposals made to them. “They are our valued colleagues. We hope they will see reason,” he added.
The PM did not elaborate on the proposals made to the DMK but Congress sources said their southern ally was offered three cabinet berths and three posts of ministers of state and were told it was not possible to increase this quota. The DMK has, however, demanded nine berths- five Cabinet and four ministers of state- which was not accepted by the Congress. While the DMK stayed away from today’s party, estranged allies, RJD’s Lalu Prasad Yadav, LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan and Samajwadi Party leaders Mulayum Singh Yadav and Amar Singh decided to put aside their recent bitterness and made it a point to attend the ceremony. BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate LK Advani, whose verbal duels with Manmohan Singh were the highlight of the recent election campaign, also turned up and was accorded a frosty welcome by his poliitcal rivals. On the other hand, the recent strain in their relations with the Left parties did not stop Congress leaders from giving a warm welcome to CPM’s Sitaram Yechury .
Mulayum Singh Yadav and Amar Singh, who were the toast of the Congress party after they bailed out the government on the Indo-US nuclear deal, looked decidedly downcast. The duo did not find any seats in the front row and had to be accommodated hurriedly in the back benches after AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh vacated his seat. The two did not stay for tea and slunk away immediately after the ceremony. Except Digvijay Singh, nobody cared to speak to them.
In contrast, Lalu Yadav and Yechury chatted amiably with the Congress president and AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi over tea. Lalu fed Rahul a rasgoola while Yechury remarked laughinghly to Sonia that she should continue to meet the RJD chief although he’s no longer in the government. The PM also stopped to have a long chat with the CPM leader. Sonia Gandhi, credited with the party’s remarkable performance in these elections, was the cynosure of all eyes. Her daughter Priyanka, in a deep lavender saree, and son Rahul Gandhi also created quite a buzz. Sonia Gandhi was unusually relaxed and took all questions sportingly even when asked about son Rahul’s marriage plans. “My mother-in-law took her own decision, So did I and my daughter also made her own choice. It is for Rahul to decide,” she laughed, pointing to her son, who was busy chomping on the rasgoola fed to him by
Lalu.
