Cabinet: Right Or Left?

THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY April 14, 1962 Our Delhi Letter Cabinet: Right or Left? POLITICAL pundits were con have the tacit support on all policy Adverse comments have been fident that the General Elec matters of Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri made about the size of the Cabinet tions had left a distinct imprint on and Shri Gulzarilal Nanda — two which is held to be unwieldly. In the mind of the Prime Minister — of the senior-most Ministers. The actual practice, the Cabinet will as was clearly indicated from his new-comer, Shri C Subramaniam, function in committees — the Fore fighting election speeches — and will have ideological affinity with ign Affairs Sub-Committee, the the ageing Jawaharlal would choose the Menon-Malaviya group rather Economic Affairs Sub-Committee his new team with an eye to the than with the Desai-Patii group. and the Defence Sub-Committee. future. It was, therefore, believed Shri Jagjiwan Ram, another old There would be less of collective that the composition of the new guard in the Cabinet, though he functioning and reliance on one Government would be slanted in has now been in a way demoted, man — the Prime Minister — for favour of left as against right in the hag aligned himself against Morarji policy decision, and his tendency Congress. However the general since the contest for Deputy Leader- of not taking his colleagues into verdict in New Delhi is that the ship* So from a negative stand confidence even on major issues new Cabinet shows pronounced pre point, he can be expected to sup will grow. The size of the Cabinet ference for status quo — 'Old wine port the Menon-Malaviya group. swelled as a result of the Prime in old bottle'. May be there are The remaining eight members of Minister's desire to strike political more changes to come and the the Cabinet—Sardar Swaran Singh, and regional balances. Malaviya's verdict is premature. K C Reddy, Hafiz Mohammed Ibra claim for promotion was irresis It had been thought that the him, Asoke Kumar Sen, B Gopala tible. But to balance that, the wings of Shri Morarji Desai and Reddn K L Shrimali, Humayun Prime Minister derided to upgrade S K Patil — the two who persona Kabir and Satya Narayan Sinha — Kabir and Sinha, though on merit lise the traditional right — would have no particular alignment and alone it could be hardly justified. be clipped. It was also thought are not committed to either of the Having decided to upgrade Kabir, most probable that the Finance groups. They will not do anything Dr Radhakrishnan pointed out that Ministry would be bifurcated and against the wishes of the Prime it would be indiscreet not to give its most important department of Minister. They will back the win the same promotion to Shrimali Economic Affairs taken away from ning horse. It is not impossible who was holding in fact a more im Shri Morarji. Rut Morarji retains that if—this is a big "if'' — Menon portant department than Kabir. his grip and so does Patil, Pro and Malaviya are able to gain the Nehru accepted this suggestion. gressive circles are disappointed upper hand in both policy and or Gopala Reddi was upgraded on the most on this count. They also re- ganisation, they will carry these ground of giving proper represen gret that Shri T T Krishnamachari non-committed with them. So it is tation to South. Thus in this pro has been left out. T T K, however, contended that if any body has cess the size of the Cabinet grew pegged his demand too high. He gained, it is the left, though the from 12 to 17. was prepared to accept no portfolio gain is marginal other than that of Finance as it is Poverty of Talent Influence of State Politics or that of Economic Affairs plus Despite its large size, the com Planning. He was offered Heavy Emotionally, perhaps, the Prime position of the Cabinet however, Industries and Steel as it was Minister shares the outlook of has revealed the poverty of talent thought that the essence of the 'so Menon and Malaviya, though he may in the Congress party. For instance, cialist pattern' at the present stage not always like to go to the extent there was a frantic search for an is to strengthen these two sectors to which they want him to go. which constitute the backbone of There is also the question of morale. Education Minister who would give the public sector. T T K, however, The Menon-Malaviya group feels it a fresh orientation to the education. addressed a letter to the Prime has emerged stronger. Morarji's a| system of the country to match Minister expressing his inability to stock, on the other hand, is on the the tasks of industrialisation of join the Cabinet under the "present decline. He was outmanoeuvred on India. Apparently, no one could circumstances". the question of Deputy Leadership be found better than Shrimali, So and then snubbed by the Coa opera the Education Ministry remains the Delicate Balance tion. In the elections, he was badly weakest Ministry in the new Gov The better informed among the mauled in his home State as all his ernment. It is contended that at progressive circles are not, however, key men were defeated. He also least three or four of the new ent crestfallen. They read much in the failed to install his nominees in the rants are below the mark of Cabi Chief Minister's gaddi in Mysore promotion of Shri Keshav Dev net Ministers. But other trees pro Malaviya. "Shri Krishna Menon and Bihar, In the other States, he bably cannot flourish under the has now got his right hand'' re has no hold. It does not follow, shade of a 'banyan' tree. The pre marked a knowledgeable observer however, that in the politics of the sent Cabinet confirms the truth of on the inclusion of Shri Malaviya States, the Menon-Malaviya group in the Cabinet, Both these people is better placed. this adage. 613 April 14, 1962 THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY April 14, 1962 The Cabinet-making and appoint Letter from Geneva ments to some other senior Govern ment and State jobs have also re Economic Consequences of vealed the Hamlet in Jawaharlal Nehru. His inability to make up his mind in time caused embarrass Disarmament ment to a number of persons. The Krishna Ahooja glaring case in point is that of IN February last a group of ex Finally, some of the social conse M C Chagla. Within five days of perts from ten countries pre quences of disarmament are also his election to the Rajya Sabha on pared a report on the most vital sub considered. the understanding that he would ject of the day. The report deals at find a place in the Cabinet, he was length with the transitional pro Concentration of Military shunted off to London. Similarly, blems of a disarmed world. The UN Expenditure both Dr Subbaroyan and Shn Secretary-General, U Thant, him Once it is realised what the order Ayyangar could have been spared self took keen interest in this re of magnitude of military expendi the trouble of fighting the elections port and suggested holding over its ture is, it would be possible to esta if they were to be made Governors. release until two days before the blish a scale of priorities. The This time the Prime Minister did Disarmament Conference in Geneva. theoretical basis on which the ex have additional difficulty as he did This UN document which runs into perts have built their conclusions is not have the benefit of the counsel over a hundred pages, might well thaL disarmament involves a question of his senior colleagues. In 1957, prove to be a working basis for of shifts in the composition of there were Maulana Azad and economic planning when the ulti aggregate demand of goods and ser Pandit Pant to help him to make mate political decision is taken. The vices. It is maintained by them that up his mind. This time Shri Lal group of experts which held their "disarmament in its economic as Bahadur Shastri could not carry sessions in Geneva and New York, pects should not be considered a unique phenomenon". Short-term the burden of advising the Prime included some of the best known shifts in demand on an even larger Minister on selection of each and world economists: W W Leontief scale than that which would ac every Minister. But Dr Radha- from Harvard; V Y Abolhn from the Institute of World Economics company any disarmament pro krishnan more than in his capacity and International Relations, Mos gramme have occurred when econo as the next President, is learnt to cow; Oskar Lange. Chairman of the mies have undergone conversion to have played a noteworthy role in Council of Ministers Poland; and peace time patterns of production. helping the Prime Minister in Cabi B N Ganguli from the University net-making. Quite a few changes What does disarmament in fact of Delhi were among the ten se were made on the Vice-President's involve in terms of military expen lected In the late Secretary-General. suggestion. This also indicates diture? The experts agreed that Hammarskjocld. They all acted in despite widely varying calculations, that Dr Radhakrishnan will not be their individual capacities and un the figure of armament expenditure a mere figurehead and, as Presi animously adopted the report. is approximately $120 billion annu dent, would be taking more active ally.

Load more