Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday stepped in to ensure cabinet ministers don't keep their junior ministers idle but give them more work to do.
After reading out her written speech in the Congress Parliamentary Party meeting in New Delhi on Thursday, Gandhi made an unusual impromptu addition over this issue. According to insiders, Gandhi -- in the presence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and most of the Congress cabinet ministers -- pitched for the Ministers of State.
"Soniaji said that junior ministers should not be just left for filling the chairs. They should also be given responsibilities," said a cabinet minister after the meeting.
Congress sources suggest, even as the second United Progressive Alliance government has barely completed two months, complaints have reached Gandhi's office that some MoS' -- especially those who are first-timers -- are not getting much work under the seniors.
"Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had earlier asked the cabinet colleagues to share the workload with their MoS. but still there were problems. This time, Gandhi had to intervene," said a general secretary.
As the Congress party has 24 MoS' in the council of ministers, the leadership also wants to ensure the accountability of these ministers. Vir Bhadra Singh, minister of steel, said, "This is indeed a good gesture of the Congress president. The Ministers of State will get responsibilities and also earn respect. They can also contribute to the work of the government. But most important, they will get an opportunity to learn."
While ministers like A K Antony (Defence), C P Joshi (Rural Development) and Jaipal Reddy (Urban Development) readily give a lot of responsibility to their junior ministers, some seniors prefer to keep all key matters on their tables. During the previous UPA government, DMK chief M Karunanidhi had complained against then Finance Minister P Chidambaram that he was not sending any file to the MoS from his party, S S Palanimanickam. Finally, Gandhi had to intervene and the DMK minister started getting files.
Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee has also given a lot of work opportunities to her deputies, E Ahamed and K Muniappa. But that's because she spends most of her time in West Bengal.
