DMK bargains for portfolios; wants 5 berths & more

Chennai, May 20: Congress' key ally from the south, DMK seems keen on acquiring significant portfolios in the new cabinet such as health, railways, power, shipping and surface transport.

M Karunanidhi on Tuesday, May 19 met the Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi negotiate on five cabinet berths and three ministers of state posts that the party desires to have. Earlier Congress said it would be difficult to allocate more than three Cabinet positions.

Considering that the UPA has secured 206 on its own, DMK can not push its wish list on the Congress too strong. Its leveraging powers are further hindered as parties like SP and BSP step forward to offer unconditional support to the new UPA government.

Besides the shipping ministry, DMK is seeking railways for Dayanidhi Maran or T R Baalu, Karunanidhi's son M K Azhagiri for the surface transport ministry, which is currently under Baalu"s charge and Karunanidhi's daughter, Kanimozhi for the health ministry which is under A Ramadoss, also from DMK.

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