E. Ahamed likely to get cabinet rank soon

Wednesday May 18, 2011 05:40:28 PM, George Joseph, IANS

New Delhi: Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader and Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed is likely to be elevated to cabinet rank soon, well informed Congress sources said.

"This is part of a deal in the government formation by the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala," a Congress leader told IANS Wednesday here on condition of anonymity.

The IUML, which won 20 seats in the recent assembly elections, has become an important ally in the UDF - which has a narrow majority bagging only 72 seats in the 140-member Kerala assembly.

Ahamed, who is in Kerala, and other IUML leaders in the state have been informed over phone of the offer by Congress central leaders, during the Kerala ministry formation talks in the past few days, he added.

According to the leader, Congress leadership made this offer to the IUML as it could not give sufficient representation to the ally in the Oommen Chandy-led Kerala ministry, which was sworn in with the first set of seven ministers in Thiruvananthapuram Wednesday.

The IUML had demanded five ministerial berths, claiming a berth each for every four legislators. It also argued its case saying the Congress party, with 38 seats, has been given chief ministership and nine other ministerial berths in the proposed 20-member ministry. However, the IUML had to agree to four ministers in the Chandy government.

According to sources, Ahamed's elevation will come in the cabinet reshuffle likely in a couple of weeks.

There will be at least two ministerial berths to be filled - the post vacated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and the vacancy with the resignation of Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee, who will take over as West Bengal chief minister Friday.

The railways ministry will go to a Trinamool Congress nominee, probably Mukul Roy.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, soon after the cabinet expansion in January, had said that another substantial reshuffle was likely after the budget session of parliament - which was cut short in April because of the assembly polls.

According to Congress circles, Congress president Sonia Gandhi was also keen to "carry the IUML alongwith the UDF and meet its demands". She also has approved "compensating IUML with Ahamed's elevation at the centre", the Congress leader told IANS.

Ahamed, 73, a sixth term Lok Sabha member, had worked closely with Gandhi when the Congress was in opposition during 1998-2004.

He was made a minister of state for external affairs in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) I government 2004-2009.

Ahamed was made a minister of state in the railways ministry when the UPA-II assumed power in May 2009. In the reshuffle in January this year, he was shifted to the external affairs ministry.

Before moving to national politics in 1991, Ahamed was a legislator in Kerala for five terms and a state minister.

The IUML has two members in the Lok Sabha.

(George Joseph can be contacted at george.j@ians.in)

                                           Home | Top of the Page

Top Stories

Modi did not take action despite specific intelligence inputs: Gujarat cop

Senior Gujarat police officer Sanjeev Bhatt Monday told the Nanavati-Mehta commission that   »

Ready to name more witnesses, Gujarat cop tells probe panel

Nanavati-Mehta panel allows cross-examination of Sanjiv Bhatt

  Most Read

Arrogance, Muslim anger, rural backlash felled Left: Analysts

Arrogance of power, erosion of its rural vote bank and anger among Muslims were the key reasons why the   »

Mamatas and Ajmals.... new hope for India

Govt. urged to allow financial bodies to adopt Islamic practices

The International conference on "Prospects for Islamic Venture Capital Funds in India" concluded here on Sunday with an appeal to the Government of India to take necessary steps to allow various financial institutions to adopt Islamic products and practices so as to lay foundations of   »

  News Pick

Karnataka Mess: Majesty of law no match for politics

Everyone is expected to bow before the majesty of law but the Karnataka mess shows that ingenuity can be  »

Karnataka Deadlock: BJP parades MLAs, governor defends action

Jamia Millia launches European-Latin American course

Observing the growing relations between India and Latin America and the existing ties with Europe, the Jamia Millia Islamia has introduced an M.Phil programme in European and Latin American studies, an official  »

After assassination attempt, MIM got strengthened: Asaduddin Owaisi

The failed assassination attempt on Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) legislator Akbaruddin Owaisi has led to outpouring of public sympathy and thus strengthened the party, says the outfit's chief  »

India, other emerging economies to make for half of global growth

By 2025, India and five other major emerging economies - Brazil, China, Indonesia, South Korea, and Russia - will account for more than half of all global growth, a new World Bank report says. As a result, the international  »

'Most wanted' fugitive: Home ministry admits mistake

As Wazhul Qamar Khan, one among the 50 "most wanted" fugitives named for terror bombings in India, said he is in Thane on bail and not hiding in Pakistan as stated in New Delhi's list given to Islamabad, Home  »

Picture of the Day

Vice President Mohd. Hamid Ansari addresses after releasing the special issue of “Think India” quarterly on Faiz Ahmad Faiz, in New Delhi on May 10, 2011. Also seen in the picture is Member Planning Commission Dr Syeda Hameed among others.

(Photo: Hansraj)