Opp already discussing portfolios in Mulayam's ministry

NEW DELHI: Even before Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav received a formal invitation from UP governor Vishnu Kant Shastri to form the next government, the opposition camp in the Capital was on Wednesday discussing the shape of the next regime and the distribution of portfolios among various coalition partners.
Rashtriya Kranti Party (RKP) chief and fomer CM Kalyan Singh, whose four-member party has pledged support to Mulayam, is being tipped to be the next assembly Speaker.Opposition sources said in case an SP-led coalition comes to power, present Speaker Kesrinath Tripathi, a BJP nominee, may be asked to step down or be removed to enable Kalyan''s installation.
It was pointed out that being a former CM and senior politician, who has played a key role in consolidating support for the SP, Kalyan''s claims for a senior position in the government cannot be ignored. After considerable deliberations among the opposition parties, it was felt it would be best to have Kalyan as the next Speaker.
This would help the SP and the Congress to deflect the charge that they were sharing power with the man responsible for the demolition of the Babri Masjid. On the flip side, by pressing for Tripathi''s removal as Speaker, the SP would shake off the criticism that the BJP had facilitated the installation of its government.
Working on the assumption that the SP-led government will be formed, the opposition parties are pressing for a share in the new ministry, with the Congress and Ajit Singh''s Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) each seeking a post of deputy CM. Other portfolios, it was stated, would be distributed according to the proportionate strength of the respective coalition partners.
While hectic negotiations were on among various opposition parties, the Congress leadership in Delhi did not officially declare whether it would join a Mulayam-led government or support it from the outside.
Five UP legislators on Wednesday met party president Sonia Gandhi and impressed upon her the need for joining a coalition. Party sources said the MLAs told Sonia that if they join the government, the move would not only enthuse the party workers but a united opposition will send out a positive message for the coming assembly polls in four major states.
However, the Congress is still mulling its options. Senior leaders said though it had little choice but to support an alternate government in UP, it does not wish to alienate the BSP as it would like to keep its option open for a future tie-up with Mayawati''s party.