Pachouri to continue as Union minister!

Bhopal, Feb 14: Madhya Pradesh Congress Chief Suresh Pachauri camp believes that he would continue as minister in Centre. Normally, in Congress there is one man one post norm, but Pachauri supporters feel his continuation will provide strength to congress campaign in an election year.

High placed sources claim there are indications that AICC Chief Sonia Gandhi will have to get him another term to stay on as union minister as Pachauri's term is ending in April this year. The point of regional satraps siding with him and it would help him leading the Congress successfully in Madhya Pradesh. Though he lacks electoral success, being head of Congress Seva Dal he is in touch with all rank and file. He is willing to reach out to local leaders in Malwa, Bundelkhand Vindhyachal and Mahakausahal.

This line of thinking has upset a section of Congress leaders in Madhya Pradesh who were expecting something else in the party. Former PCC president Subhash Yadav claims that he has handed over a prepared field for Pachouri to reap the crop. In political circles, Pachauri's appointment is seen as Sonia's attempt to buy peace among regional satraps represented by Arjun Singh, Digvijay Singh, Kamal Nath, Jyotiraditya Scindia and others. Arjun's son Ajay has been made chairman of state campaign committee while Nath camp is counting on Pachauri's loyalty to Union Commerce and Industry Minister.

On caste lines, the new PCC chief has a tough task to manage vote bank of scheduled caste, scheduled tribe and OBC. The Congress has tried to cover its flank against Mayawati's social engineering model in Madhya Pradesh but removal of an OBC leader Subhash Yadav in a backward dominated state may prove costly to the Congress.  There are 55 per cent OBCs in MP against 1.5 per cent Brahmin population, which Pachauri belongs.