Important portfolio for Keshubhai supporter

By Manas Dasgupta

GANDHINAGAR, OCT. 9. Without waiting for his full Cabinet to take office, the new Gujarat Chief Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, today distributed portfolios to the nine Ministers who were sworn in with him on Sunday.

While most of the re-inducted Ministers would continue to hold practically the same portfolios they were handling in the Keshubhai Patel ministry, a surprise change came for Mr. Nitin Patel, who has been given the all-important Finance portfolio. He was in charge of Small and Medium Irrigation in the previous ministry.

During swearing-in also, Mr. Modi named Mr. Patel number three in the Cabinet after himself and the senior leader and former Chief Minister, Mr. Suresh Mehta, superseding at least two other senior Ministers of the Patel Cabinet, who too have been re-inducted.

The `undue favour' shown to Mr. Patel was believed to be the result of the hard bargaining by the deposed Chief Minister who wanted his trusted lieutenant, Mr. Vajubhai Vala, to be taken back in the Cabinet but was turned down by Mr. Modi because of his alleged ``soiled image.'' Holding Finance and Revenue portfolios under Mr. Patel, Mr. Vala was described by the opposition Congress as the ``fountainhead of corruption'' and was also named in its report by the Comptroller and Auditor General for alleged irregularities in several cases.

Mr. Patel had also insisted that if Mr. Vala was kept out of the Cabinet, Mr. Modi also should not take the former Narmada Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaynarayan Vyas, who was dropped from his Cabinet by Mr. Patel last year for calling him ``a liar.'' Mr Vyas, who was described by the BJP earlier as the ``intellectual face'' of the party and was credited with successfully steering the Narmada dam case in the Supreme Court, was earlier believed to be a natural choice for Mr. Modi to give a better image to his Cabinet.

The deposed Chief Minister is also claimed to had insisted on the promotion for Mr. Nitin Patel, who after Mr. Vala was counted among his most loyal supporters. Mr Nitin Patel was also instrumental in stamping out the first sign of revolt in the Keshubhai Patel camp after he returned from Delhi last week carrying the high command's order to step down.

Besides, the move to elevate Mr. Nitin Patel was also seen as an attempt by Mr. Modi to appease the powerful ``Patel lobby'' who felt hurt at the ouster of their leader from the chief ministership.

Mr. Mehta and several other Ministers had reportedly raised some objections against the distribution of portfolios following which the announcement was delayed till today. Mr. Mehta would continue to hold Industries, Parliamentary Affairs, Tourism and Civil Aviation and Salt Industry. Mr. Modi has kept for himself most of the important portfolios including General Administration, Home, Information, Narmada affairs, Science and Technology, Revenue, and all policy matters relating to power, industries, ports, mines and minerals, planning and other departments not allotted to any other minister.

Mr. Fakirbhai Waghela, a strong supporter of Mr. Mehta, who has been demoted in rank, would continue to hold Social Welfare and Prohibition ministries minus the Salt Industry. Mr Kanjibhai Patel, a tribal and another demotee, has been shifted from Forest to Labour and Employment, while Mr. Narottam Patel, a supporter of the Union Minister, Mr. Kashiram Rana, would continue to look after water supply and urban housing.

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