By IANS,
New Delhi : No allies of the victorious United Progressive Alliance (UPA) placed any conditions for cabinet berths at the coalition’s meeting held here Wednesday, says the Congress.
“No condition was put by any party. No such discussion took place. There was no point of disagreement in the UPA meeting. This (decision on cabinet members) is the prerogative of the prime minister,” Congress spokesperson Janardhan Dwivedi told reporters at the party headquarters.
Partners of the Congress-led UPA met Wednesday to discuss the issue of distribution of ministerial berths and also re-elected party president Sonia Gandhi as chairperson of the grouping. DMK chief M. Karunanidhi proposed the name and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee seconded it.
Dwivedi said the decision for cabinet names from within the Congress party will be taken based on ‘individual discussions’ between Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
“A decision on names from other parties will be taken after consulting the concerned party.”
Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi will meet President Pratibha Patil Wednesday evening.
Dwivedi also said a core group would be formed within the UPA to review and revise the existing Common Minimum Programme.
He said: “There was no talk of forming a Common Minimum Programme. But it has been unanimously decided that a small group will be formed and they will decide what can be added to the existing policies. Whatever the schemes and policies of the earlier UPA-led government will be taken forward, and this group will decide if anything new has to be added.”
“The group has not been made – the UPA chair will decide who will be in the group,” Dwivedi added.