Absentee ministers
The economic editors' conference this year will be denied the pleasure of the company of two important ministers who represent the sector that contributes about 27 per cent to the gross domestic product (GDP). The agriculture minister, Mr Nitish Kumar and the food and PDS minister, Mr Shanta Kumar, have decided to give the conference a go-by. Their officials are pretty pleased at not having to prepare, colurful treatises projecting government achievements. But the reason for the ministers' absence is their preference for going holidaying and politicking in their home states.Nitish Kumar is busy gathering strength to fight his political rival, communications minister Ram Vilas Paswan. Mr Paswan has threatened to break out of the JD(U) and launch his separate outfit. Mr Kumar is all out to try every possible equation, even with Mr Laloo Yadav. As for Mr Shanta Kumar, he is busy attending the marriage of the daughter of former Speaker of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly. He has also preferred to stay out of Delhi to avoid being grilled on relaxing the rice procurement norms in Punjab to appease the Akalis from his home state.
Wait and watch
The race for the Cabinet Secretary's post remains a subject of discussion in senior government circles. Till the Prime Minister finally selected Mr T R Prasad, various theories were circulating about the likely choice, even though Mr Prasad is the seniormost officer and the obvious choice. Now that the obvious choice has been selected, one would have thought rumour mills would grind to a halt. But Delhi loves gossip. So the latest subject of speculation is whether Mr Prasad will be allowed to retire when his normal tenure ends early next year, or whether like many of his predecessors he will be given a fixed term of one or two years. Apparently, the official announcement relating to his appointment as CabSec does not mention the duration of his tenure in the post. Gossip, gossip!!
Copyright © 2000 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.