A preemptive letter to stop piecemeal cabinet expansion


Governor MOH Farook writing to Chief Minister Arjun Munda not to defer cabinet expansion exercise beyond October 8, sources in the Raj Bhavan said, “is a preemptive measure to stop Munda from a piecemeal cabinet expansion.”

Farook on Friday dropped a missive to the CMO to complete cabinet formation exercise by October 8 under the light of the Article 164 (A1) of the Constitution. Nevertheless, Munda in his official communiqué to Governor on September 28 had already informed that the cabinet will be expanded on October 8.

The letter left CMO baffled, offering a miffed reaction — quite unwilling for a riposte. “Do you think we should write a letter? It will be an endless exercise. Things were explained to him through official communiqué. CM reaffirmed this during his one to one meeting with Governor,” a close political aide of Munda said.

Nevertheless, CMO sources close to The Pioneer tried to downplay it denying that the Friday letter was embossed with strong adjectives and harsh message as some section of the media reported.

But in second admittance he told something else. “How can Governor report to the Centre if CM is not expanding his cabinet? Is there timeline mentioned in the Article to expand the cabinet to the prescribed limit?”

Former Governor Ved Marwah had also over-interpreted Article 164 in the year 2004 when Munda was CM, and, Marwah got a fit reply from Saryu Rai, the leader added.

But the fact of the matter, as a top BJP source said: “Munda does not want to expand his cabinet at one go. He wants it in a piecemeal manner in three phases. Certain coalition compulsions and differences over the selection of faces for the ministry in the party as well as alliance partners have delayed this process.”

For example, clamouring for ministerial berths — and dissension if denied — is has become an uncontrolled epidemic in the JMM. The AJSU leadership on record displayed politically mature face over the shape of the coming ministry. But internally it sulked and shuddered over any attempt to reduce its share in the government from three to two. Accommodating demands of the allies in the government is a problem for Munda. The leadership even planned to drop JD (U) from the ministry by offering some suitable package. But the JD (U) is quite unprepared to get slaughtered.
The first phase of cabinet expansion is over while the second will take place on October 8. And, if Cm is probably planning for third one Farook may like to pronounce monosyllabic ‘Main’ (I) to administer oath to a minister: letter has made so.