Pawar may get 2 MoS, buzz about other shifts

Jul 07, 2010 - Mukesh Ranjan |

New Delhi

Agriculture minister and NCP chief Sharad Pawar, who set off speculation about being divested of one of his portfolios after meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday to seek a reduction of his workload, may retain his existing responsibilities, but get one or two ministers of state to share his burden. He is in charge of three critical departments: agriculture, consumer affairs, and food and public distribution.

Since the NCP already has full representation in the Union ministry, under the UPA formula, sources said Mr Pawar’s new junior ministers are likely to be from the Congress or other allies. Besides Mr Pawar, the two other NCP ministers now are Mr Praful Patel, MoS civil aviation (independent charge), and Ms Agatha Sangma, MoS rural development.
There are three MoS in rural development — besides Ms Sangma, Pradeep Jain of the Congress and Sisir Adhikari of Trinamul Congress — and it is speculated one of them might be shifted to serve under Mr Pawar.
There is also a MoS vacancy in external affairs after Shashi Tharoor’s exit under a cloud following the IPL controversy.
Sources claim that MoS commerce Jyotiraditya Scindia might be shifted to share the burden with senior minister S.M. Krishna.

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