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Mamata likely to get Cabinet berth, swearing-in tomorrow
New Delhi, Sept 07: Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee and MDMK`s C Krishnan are expected to be inducted in the Vajpayee government tomorrow as part of a minor expansion of the Union council of ministers.
New Delhi, Sept 07: Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee and MDMK's C Krishnan are expected to be inducted in the Vajpayee government tomorrow as part of a minor expansion of the Union council of ministers.
Banerjee, who makes a comeback to the Union cabinet after more than two years, is likely to be given coal portfolio, Trinamool sources said.
MDMK MP Krishnan is likely to be brought in as Minister of State for Finance, held by his party colleague Gingee Ramachandran who had to make way following the alleged involvement of his private assistant in a cash-for-transfer scam. Banerjee reached Delhi following telephone calls from Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who spoke to her last night as well as this morning.
"The Prime Minister rang me up twice-last night and this morning. NDA convenor and Defence Minister George Fernandes too talked to me over telephone today," she said.
Mamata had quit the Union Cabinet in February 2002 demanding the resignation of Defence Minister George Fernandes in the wake of the Tehelka expose and has remained out of the government since then.
An attempt to bring Mamata back into the Cabinet fell flat in July this year when she stayed away from a reshuffle of Vajpayee ministry exercise strongly protesting a move to induct her party colleague Sudip Bandopadhaya without consulting her. The swearing in function is scheduled for 1300 hours at Rashtrapti Bhavan tomorrow, PMO sources said.
She, however, said she did not discuss the issue of ministry with the Prime Minister and would speak to him tomorrow.
Mamata had quit the Union Cabinet in February 2002 demanding the resignation of Defence Minister George Fernandes in the wake of the Tehelka expose and has remained out of the government since then. An attempt to bring Mamata back into the Cabinet fell flat in July this year when she stayed away from a reshuffle of Vajpayee ministry strongly protesting a move to induct her party colleague Sudip Bandopadhaya without consulting her.
The swearing in function is scheduled for 1300 hours at Rashtrapti Bhavan tomorrow, PMO sources said.
Vajpayee had consulted his Deputy L K Advani, BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu and Finance Minister Jaswant Singh yesterday on the issue of cabinet expansion.
Informed sources said Sudip Bandopadhyay and Ajit Panja of Trinamool Congress, whose names were being mentioned for ministerial berths, were unlikely to be inducted. The expansion is expected to be limited to just two ministers, they said.
Bureau Report
MDMK MP Krishnan is likely to be brought in as Minister of State for Finance, held by his party colleague Gingee Ramachandran who had to make way following the alleged involvement of his private assistant in a cash-for-transfer scam. Banerjee reached Delhi following telephone calls from Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who spoke to her last night as well as this morning.
"The Prime Minister rang me up twice-last night and this morning. NDA convenor and Defence Minister George Fernandes too talked to me over telephone today," she said.
Mamata had quit the Union Cabinet in February 2002 demanding the resignation of Defence Minister George Fernandes in the wake of the Tehelka expose and has remained out of the government since then.
An attempt to bring Mamata back into the Cabinet fell flat in July this year when she stayed away from a reshuffle of Vajpayee ministry exercise strongly protesting a move to induct her party colleague Sudip Bandopadhaya without consulting her. The swearing in function is scheduled for 1300 hours at Rashtrapti Bhavan tomorrow, PMO sources said.
She, however, said she did not discuss the issue of ministry with the Prime Minister and would speak to him tomorrow.
Mamata had quit the Union Cabinet in February 2002 demanding the resignation of Defence Minister George Fernandes in the wake of the Tehelka expose and has remained out of the government since then. An attempt to bring Mamata back into the Cabinet fell flat in July this year when she stayed away from a reshuffle of Vajpayee ministry strongly protesting a move to induct her party colleague Sudip Bandopadhaya without consulting her.
The swearing in function is scheduled for 1300 hours at Rashtrapti Bhavan tomorrow, PMO sources said.
Vajpayee had consulted his Deputy L K Advani, BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu and Finance Minister Jaswant Singh yesterday on the issue of cabinet expansion.
Informed sources said Sudip Bandopadhyay and Ajit Panja of Trinamool Congress, whose names were being mentioned for ministerial berths, were unlikely to be inducted. The expansion is expected to be limited to just two ministers, they said.
Bureau Report