Cabinet expansion Sunday, but Chiru has to wait

NEW DELHI: Not waiting for the winter session to get over, the Union government has decided to induct Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Ajit Singh into the Union Cabinet on Sunday.However, Praja Rajyam chief K Chiranjeevi, who recently merged his party in the Congress, may not find a place this time, although his eventual induction is quite likely, sources said.With Assembly elections round the corner in Uttar Pradesh, Ajit Singh, a 72- year-old Jat leader from western UP, will be sworn-in without further delay. In fact, his induction is taking place within a week of his party formally joining the UPA.Singh, whose RLD has five members in the Lok Sabha, is likely to get the civil aviation ministry. He will be the 77th minister in the Cabinet.With the RLD joining the ruling coalition, the UPA’s strength in the Lok Sabha has gone up from 272 to 277.As for the DMK getting another berth in the Cabinet, sources said that “no such demand has been made by Karunanidhi.’’In a parallel development, the special cabinet meeting to discuss and approve the contentious Lokpal bill has been shifted to Monday. The meeting was earlier being planned for Sunday.Sources said the Cabinet may take up another controversial legislation, the Food Security Bill, also on Monday. The bill may then be introduced next week in the Lok Sabha and referred to the standing committee concerned.Sources said the Cabinet meeting was deferred by a day to allow the government more time to frame and finalise the proposed amendments to the Lokpal Bill.According to sources, the issue which is bothering many in Parliament is how to make Lokpal more accountable. It seems to have been tentatively decided that if a minimum of 100 MPs give a written complaint against the Lokpal or any of its members, the matter will be referred to the Supreme Court.To safeguard against frivolous or politically motivated complaints against the Prime Minister, three-fourths of the members of the Lokpal panel have to concur to proceed against the head of government. Besides, any inquiry against the PM has to be in-camera.On the issue of group C employees, the view emerging is that the Central Vigilance Commission may be given the same powers as Lokpal, if necessary through an amendment.The CBI director’s selection and appointment is likely to be made more broad-based, where the leader of the opposition too will have a say.