The Hindu : Deshmukh gets nod to expand Cabinet

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jun 18, 2002

Other States

Other States - Maharashtra

Deshmukh gets nod to expand Cabinet

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI JUNE 17. The Maharashtra Chief Minister, Vilasrao Deshmukh, today received the green signal from the party high command to go ahead with his plans to expand his Cabinet. Mr. Deshmukh, who called on the party chief, Sonia Gandhi, this afternoon, has been asked to prepare the details of the expansion with the AICC general secretary in-charge of the State, Vayalar Ravi.

Ms. Gandhi is also reported to have asked Mr. Deshmukh to initiate a dialogue with estranged allies like the Peasants and Workers Party and some Independent MLAs in order to win back their support. Chastened by the events of the last two weeks, Mr. Deshmukh admitted that some mistakes might have been made in the past, particularly in handling the smaller parties and promised to make up to them.

"We may have erred and there could be genuine grounds to feel aggrieved, but they will be rectified,'' he said. Mr. Deshmukh said that though the PWP and others were upset with his Government, they had not supported the Shiv Sena-BJP combine.

Mr. Deshmukh indicated that he might have to induct a large number of people into the Cabinet. "In a coalition, people have aspirations and it is important to take everybody along.''

He accused the Sena BJP combine of "resorting to abductions' and offering all kinds of allurements to the Congress and the NCP MLAs.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Other States

Stories in this Section

Tough choices ahead for DF Govt. on Enron

Deshmukh gets nod to expand Cabinet