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New Delhi
Most Cong MLAs stay away at swearing-in
By Our Staff Reporter
NEW DELHI, DEC. 6. All is not well in the Delhi Congress and the Sheila Dikshit Government. The simmering discontent over the constitution of the new Council of Ministers and the over-looking of dominant vote banks to accommodate a few vested interests is expected to hot up. And a beginning was made today with a majority of MLAs boycotting the swearing-in ceremony of the Council of Ministers.
In a related development, the All India Vaish Aggarwal Mahasangh today warned that the exclusion of their only representative, Dr. Narendra Nath, from the Cabinet would cost the Congress dearly in the MCD and Uttar Pradesh polls. Not only the party would be faced with the scarcity of adequate funds, it would also find it difficult to garner the votes of this 20-lakh strong vote bank. Talking to newspersons, the President of the Mahasangh, Mr.M.M. Aggarwal, said he had met party president, Ms. Sonia Gandhi and conveyed the resentment of the Bania community over the recent move of the party.
Mr. Aggarwal indicated that the post of the DPCC president could also be offered to the community to compensate the loss. ``It is also being thought of by the party. This move could well be in the offing,'' he said when asked if there is such a move.
Meanwhile, the going does not look smooth for the Chief Minister as well. Even the AICC general secretary, Mr. Kamal Nath, has come under attack from the two ousted Ministers for having misled the party president, Ms. Sonia Gandhi, on the performance of the Ministers. Dr. Narendra Nath and Mr. Parvez Hashmi, have launched a tirade against Mr. Kamal Nath and blamed him for the present situation. They are also unhappy with the Chief Minister for having failed to protect them before the party high command and are planning to represent to Ms. Gandhi.
But what has surprised many in the party is the sudden belligerence of the loyalist MLAs who have drawn swords to protest against what they allege is injustice. But the development has also exposed the ``onion group'' MLAs. It is quite evident that they were with the Chief Minister as long as they had a share of the pie. But as soon as they found the rug slipping from under their feet, they have shown their true colour. Interestingly, the noise being made about OBCs being denied their share does not hold much water. Mr. Deep Chand Bandhu, a Jat, who is also from the OBC, has been made a Minister. Mr. Shadi Ram is the vice-chairman of the Delhi Jal Board and Mr. Vir Singh Dhigan, an SC, is the member Delhi Jal Board.
There is enough evidence to believe that despite these people targetting the party general secretary, the going is not smooth for the Chief Minister. Her own supporters are doubting her ability to protect her own men and get them nominated in boards or corporations. The supporters of the Chief Minister are annoyed that two loyalist Ministers were dropped for having performed well. Most MLAs are upset over the manner in which Mr. Hashmi has been shown the door. Popular among the MLAs and party workers, he was always referred to as the only ``effective Minister'' in the previous Cabinet. But this ouster has come as a shock to his supporters and loyalist MLAs who fear that an attempt is being made to marginalise them.
For her part, the Chief Minister would have to do a lot of manipulating and pacifying exercise to strengthen her position.
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