NEW DELHI: Five ministers of State at the Center have submitted their resignation to Prime Minister, PV. Narasimha Rao, to give him a free hand in reconstituting his council of ministers.

Authoritative sources said Sept.11th, that the reconstitution ‘of the council of ministers is to take place this week.

Earlier, the Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao, is reported to have asked for resignations from five Ministers of State in his Council of Ministers to enable him to reshuffle his ministry and revamp the Congress party organization. ‘The Ministers whose resignations ‘were sought and some of them obtained late that day included Krishna Kumar, Ajit Panja, Mrs. Basav Rajeshwari, Tarun Gogoi and P.K. Thungon.

Though the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Matang Singh denied that he had any hand in this, sources close to some of the affected Ministers confirmed that their resignations had been sent to Rao “as desired.”

Rao appeared to be facing some resistance from the Agriculture Minister, Balram Jakhar, the Civil Aviation Minister, ghulam Nabi Azad, and the Railways Minister, Jaffer Sharief conyalescing abroad to his much publicized Kamaraj Plan.

His aides, however, indicated that efforts to persuade some Ministers to accept a responsibility in the organization had not been given up.

‘There was speculation about Chayan being shifted to Defence and his Home portfolio being given to Karunakaran was not ruled out. The possibility of the CWC member, R.K. Dhawan, being inducted in the Cabinet, in case some of the existing ones were dropped, was also being discussed.

If the controversial Railway Minister, Jaffer Sharief, continues to spum the offer of an organizational or a gubernatorial assignment as he is reported to have done in the past he could be shifted to a less taxing portfolio in view of his ailment.

The Minister of State, K. Mallikarjun, who is temporarily holding his charge, could be allowed to retain it permanently as an independent charge, a senior Rao aide hinted.

Article extracted from this publication >>  September 15, 1995