With the DMK given only three Cabinet berths following its strength of 19 MPs, Mr T.R. Baalu could not be accommodated and Mr M.K. Alagiri, the Tamil Nadu chief minister’s son, was preferred. However, even if Mr A. Raja is withdrawn, the DMK chief is not in the mood right now to recall his son, Mr Alagiri, known for long absences from both his ministry and Parliament.
In fact, the Cabinet minister’s absence has been causing major embarrassment to the government. LS Speaker Meira Kumar even commented on the issue. There have been reports of Mr Alagiri holidaying abroad during the vote on the cut motion in the last session. The other minister who has “gone beyond control” (of the government) is the UPA’s powerful ally, Trinamul chief Mamata Banerjee. The government feels the railways has been suffering due to the minister’s preoccupation with the West Bengal Assembly polls. The railways’ ambitious dedicated freight corridor, being monitored by the PMO, and catering policy continue to hang in the balance.