Parikh’s teething troubles

GANDHINAGAR, NOV 15: One storm having been weathered and survived, there now appears to be another brewing on Gujarat's political horizon -...

GANDHINAGAR, NOV 15: One storm having been weathered and survived, there now appears to be another brewing on Gujarat’s political horizon — one which could toss the Dilip Parikh ministry still exulting over its Assembly. And it is the CM himself in a Catch-22 situation: he needs to expand his ministry, but stands to lose whichever way he goes about it.

Ominous signs emanate from the Rashtriya Janata Party camp. To create space for the likely induction of the Congress , Parikh is reportedly considering dropping at least four members of the previous RJP ministry, including one or two of Cabinet rank, at the next expansion, due next week.

Parikh had hinted at the reshuffle soon after winning the vote, saying he might not accommodate all 33 ministers of the Vaghela ministry.

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A senior RJP leader told The Indian Express that one of those to be dropped is a Vaghela appointee from central Gujarat. Also facing the axe is a legislator from south Gujarat. RJP sources are trying to downplay the import of this decision, saying the four will be utilised for party work. He cannot please all his party legislators, especially with the Congress seeking at least half the ministerial berths and with the group of Independents demanding their pound of flesh for supporting the RJP in the Assembly. Three Independents are already in the ministry, but that may not be enough.

Parikh has prepared the ground for the Congress to join; he has not given portfolios to the five ministers of state sworn in with him, keeping them for Congress inductees. Sources say that with no other option, the RJP leadership will try and stall the issue of Congress participation. At the recently held camp in Ambaji in north Gujarat, Shankarsinh Vaghela said though not in so many words that the coalition would not be in the best interest of the party.The plan appears to be to try and pass the buck to the Congress, by playing on its inherent factionalism. Once the Congress formally approaches the RJP for forming a coalition, Vaghela and Parikh will offer them about 12 positions in the ministry and corporations. They will then hope that the Congress leaders are unable to evolve a consensus on 12 names, given that almost every Congressman is eyeing a ministerial berth.

RJP sources rule out the possibility of accepting the Congress’s demand for 20 or 22 ministerial positions. Even if this first hurdle is crossed, a fresh fight is likely to break out for lucrative’ departments. As one RJP leader put it, a deterioration in the situation will force both parties to recommend dissolution of the Assembly to offset any threat of the BJP taking advantage of the discontent.