Congress, allies yet to agree on cabinet berth

Efforts by India's ruling Congress to form a coalition ran into trouble last night with key ally DMK refusing to join the government as talks on allocation of ministerial berths and portfolios were deadlocked.
This happened on the eve of swearing-in of Manmohan Singh as prime minister for a second consecutive term.
DMK announced Congress' "formula" on ministerial allocation was not acceptable, but it would extend support to the new government.
"My leader Karunanidhi has advised me to inform that DMK will support the government from outside," DMK leader TR Baalu said.
Baalu announced DMK's decision after Manmohan Singh called up Karunanidhi, who conveyed his rejection of the Congress proposal.
The "dialogue" with DMK has not ended, Congress said, indicating that senior party leaders would hold further negotiations to hammer out a solution.
Congress spokesman Janardhan Dwivedi said, without giving details, that DMK wanted "status quo" and "more" ministerial berths--seven portfolios plus more.
There was no official version on what exactly was DMK's demand and what was Congress' offer. There were various versions.
One of those was that DMK wanted seven portfolios of cabinet rank including those for Karunanidhi's son M K Azhagiri, grand nephew Dayananidhi Maran and daughter Kanimozhi.
Another version was that Congress was opposed to inclusion of Baalu and A Raja on grounds of their performance, and alleged corruption which DMK sought to contest. Yet another version was that DMK was also keen on Railways, which is said to be eyed by another Congress ally Trinamool Congress.
DMK has 18 members in Lok Sabha and is the third largest constituent of the UPA after Congress, which has 206 seats, and Trinamool Congress which has 19.
Congress haggled hard with allies like DMK, Trinamool Congress and NCP.
Among the 'big four' portfolios, Finance is likely to go to Pranab Mukherjee, Home and Defence would be retained by P Chidambaram and AK Antony.
There is no finality about who will bag External Affairs for which there have been names of Kamal Nath, M Krishna and Kapil Sibal.
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, who may not join the UPA government, held third round of talks with Congress leaders but dismissed suggestions that she was bargaining hard for key ministries.
"There is no talk of bargaining (for ministerial posts) ... We have not discussed this. What they (Congress) want, they will do. Even if they don't give us anything, we don't mind," Mamata told reporters.
Sources however said the party is keen on Railways, Coal and Mines and Steel portfolios which, it feels, are of importance to West Bengal economy. It was also eyeing the portfolios of Health and Home at the minister of state level.