Wrangling ends in MP, Kamal Nath allots portfolios

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath distributed portfolios among his 28-member council of ministers late on Friday night. A ‘truce’ between two warring Congress leaders, Digvijay Singh and Jyotiraditya Scindia, brokered by senior party leader Ahmed Patel, paved the way for distribution of portfolio among the ministers in the Kamal Nath government, a senior Congress leader disclosed to this newspaper on Saturday.

Mr Singh and Mr Scindia were insisting for allocation of two plum portfolios, home and finance, to their respective loyalists in the state ministry, leading to impasse over distribution of departments among the state ministers for the last four days.

However, Mr Nath finally got the two ministries to his “men”, to end the impasse over the issue, the Congress leader said requesting not to be quoted.

While Bala Bachhan was given finance portfolio, Tarun Bhanot got home.

“Mr Singh had wanted finance portfolio for his MLA son Jaivardhan. But, Jaivardhan had to contend with portfolio of urban development and housing finally.

Similarly, Mr Scindia had sought the home and finance departments for his loyalists in the Kamal Nath ministry. But, he was reportedly pacified with allotment of public health and family planning portfolio to Tulsi Mr Silawat, considered one of his close aides,” he added.

Sources said dispute over allotment of home and finance portfolios between Mr Singh and Mr Scindia was first referred to Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who authorized Mr Patel to end the impasse.