PLUMS OF OFFICE

Edit June 28, 1977

Of the many promises made by Janata leaders and their allies at least one – observance of the utmost austerity and economy – seems to have gone with the wind. It is obvious that unless the professions of austerity are promptly followed up with concrete action, they cease to have any meaning, especially for the common man. The report that two Janata Ministers at the Centre recently expressed dissatisfaction with the modest houses offered to them and asked for bigger and better furnished bungalows had naturally led to adverse comment. The tendency to fall in the same rut which brought notoriety to Congress Ministers has to be avoided at any cost if hit Janata’s image as the party of the people has to be established. In another respect also, deviation from a loudly proclaimed policy is becoming evident – the size of the cabinets. Almost every one of the new Chief Ministers had promised to keep his team as small as possible and in any case within the limit prescribed by the Administrative Reforms Commission – 10 per cent of the total membership of the legislature. But their deeds belie their words.

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On June 18 Mr. P. S. Badal told reporters that the number of Punjab Ministers would be just 10 per cent of the strength of the Assembly (117). At the most, a dozen Ministers, including the chief, were thus expected. But on June 23, as many as 15 Ministers were sworn in, no fewer than 13 of them being of Cabinet rank.

Part VI Election series :  Punjab Assembly Elections — 1977

• Anti-Emergency wave drowns Congress
• Badal Sworn In As Chief Minister
• 15 Punjab Ministers Sworn In
• PLUMS OF OFFICE-Editorial on June 28, 1977
• Haryana, Punjab to go to polls on June 12
• Zail Singh not to contest
• Mrs. Gandhi Not to Go Campaigning
• Ignoring Of Women In Punjab List Regrettable -CHANDRA SHEKHAR
• Punjab To Have Over 9,200 Polling Stations
• Akali Bid to win over Independents
• Results on June 14
• Polling In Low Key In Punjab
• Punjab goes to poll today
• Badal Outlines Austerity Steps
• Akalis On Verge Of Absolute Majority

Punjab thus has a 16-member ministry, with the possibility of some more Ministers of State and also Deputy Ministers emerging in due course. Evidently, there have been heavy pressures and counter-pressures; the insistence on a certain Akali-Janata parity and group representation led to an awkward situation. According to a report, it was the Janata party’s demand for five Ministerships that prompted the Akalis to raise their quota. Pressing political exigencies have thus made nonsense of accepted norms. The result is an oversize ministry, regardless of the financial burden it will impose on the exchequer. True, Mr. Badal has made a commendable gesture by giving up his salary, but this would only means a marginal saving. If the other members of the team announce a 50 per cent cut in their emoluments, a major part of the additional expenditure would be offset. But so far there is no evidence of any such move.

Examples of ministerial expansion prove infectious. Although the full Haryana ministry has not yet been sworn in and only the Chief Minister with two Cabinet colleagues have assumed office, a ministry larger than warranted by the House strength of 90 may be installed. The pressures on the Chief Minister are mounting and presumably he is finding it difficult to satisfy the endless ambitions of the new Janata MLAs. According to a report, the number of aspirants for cosy ministerial berths is much larger than 9. If Haryana goes the Punjab way, the State unit of the Janata party would also expose itself to the charge of violating a commitment.  

Appeasement of potential trouble-makers through ministerial plums in a bid to ensure stability and political survival is in any case an uncertain business. The indeterminate loyalties and the internal incompatibilities – not to speak of some incompetent person – create more problems than an inflated ministry can solve. The Janata Cabinet in Himachal Pradesh, led by Mr. Shanta Kumar, broadly conforms to the 10 per cent ceiling since it has seven members and a chief Parliamentary Secretary in 68-member House. Additions to it on any pretext would however change the picture.