Exit Maran; Lalu Prasad lobbies for Cabinet berth

New Delhi, july 8 (Agencies): Lalu Prasad Yadav looks for a dramatic return to the Union Cabinet as the ministerial reshuffle following Dayanidhi Maran’s exit could take place in the next couple of days. Former Rail Minister, RJD’s Lalu Prasad has been camping in Delhi over the past one week lobbying for a Cabinet berth for his party. The RJD has only 4 MPs in the Lok Sabha. Lalu has been in touch with the Congress leadership seeking a Cabinet post for himself. He had a bitter fallout with the Congress in the Lok Sabha elections when he tied up with LJP’s Ram vilas Paswan.
Who after Maran?
Dayanidhi Maran’s exit from the Cabinet over the Aircel sale controversy in the 2G spectrum scam could now advance the Cabinet reshuffle. Sources have told CNN-IBN that DMK chief Karunanidhi is pushing for former DMK minister TR Baalu as Maran’s replacement but the Prime Minister’s apparently not too keen on Baalu. Meanwhile, UPA’s trouble shooter Pranab Mukherjee will be meeting the DMK supremo Karunanidhi on Saturday. Questions are also being raised again on how tenable the DMK-Congress alliance is.
DMK resigned to no Cabinet berths?
A day after Dayanidhi Maran quit the UPA and ahead of the Cabinet reshuffle, the DMK seems to have resigned to the fact that it might not get any Cabinet berth in the impending Cabinet reshuffle. Sources have told CNN-IBN that the party has realised that it’s not on a strong wicket, and will therefore not make any noises on the reshuffle. Although the DMK wants to retain the slots created by A Raja and Dayanidhi Maran, it knows that it’s not in a position to go against the Congress & the PM’s decision on Cabinet reshuffle.