Sonia rules out Deputy PM in UPA Govt

Nainital, Sep 24: Congress President Sonia Gandhi today ruled out the appointment of a Deputy Prime Minister in the UPA Government while Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he would soon have a External Affairs Minister in his Cabinet.

The two leaders were addressing a joint press conference here at the end of a two-day conclave of Congress Chief Ministers.

When a journalist asked the Prime Minister to respond to speculation that he would soon have a Deputy Prime Minister, Ms Gandhi interjected and said "absolutely not, there will be no Deputy Minister...I am saying so categorically." After this, Dr Singh said he would have an External Affairs Minister in due course of time.

The media has been speculating for quite some time that Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee could be appointed as the Deputy Prime Minister. However, Ms Gandhi's categorical assertion today has ruled out the possibility of the appointment of a Deputy Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister had recently told reporters who accompanied him on his visit to Brazil and cuba that he would have an External Affairs Minister soon after his return to India on September 18.

The External Affairs portfolio has been lying vacant since November last year when Mr K Natwar Singh quit after his name figured in the Volcker Committee report on Iraq's Oil-for-Food Programme.

Senior Congres leader Karan Singh, Maharashtra Governor S M Krishna, and Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal are among the contenders for the coveted External Affairs portfolio.

UNI