The Hindu Business Line : Tussle for Health delays portfolio allocation

THE teething troubles for the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government continue, with serious differences among coalition partners over the allocation of portfolios leading to delay in a formal announcement till late on Sunday night.

Leaders of all the coalition partners in the UPA Government were in a meeting at the residence of the Chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP), Ms Sonia Gandhi, with speculation rife that on top of the agenda was to iron out all differences before a formal announcement of the allocation of Ministries is made from Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The UPA meeting at Ms Gandhi's residence was originally scheduled to discuss the draft Common Minimum Programme.

It has been rumoured that the bone of contention was the Health portfolio, with the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) led by Mr S. Ramadoss and the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) led by Mr Ram Vilas Paswan vying for the Ministry. The PMK, it is understood, was initially assured the Health portfolio. However, after tantrums by Mr Paswan before the swearing-in ceremony of the new Union Cabinet for not being allocated the Railway Ministry, the Congress had made efforts to placate him by offering him the Health Ministry.

Despite intense efforts by the Congress to make PMK agree to the change, it appears that the party has refused to part with the portfolio. However, despite the speculations, Mr Paswan denied any rift within the coalition. Earlier, in its first meeting, the Union Cabinet led by the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, decided that the first session of the newly constituted 14th Lok Sabha will begin on June 2 and last for nine days, while the Rajya Sabha meets for a week beginning on June 4.