Thakur quits, Naidu, Jaitley also resign

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">NEW DELHI: Senior ministers, BJP functionaries and NDA allies made a beeline for 7, Race Course Road on Saturday in the hope of influencing matters at the margins, even as the broad contours of Prime Minister Vajpayee’s proposed cabinet shuffle remain unchanged. <br />Though most consultations happened behind the scenes, the one open — and even dramatic — developments of the day was Union health minister C P Thakur’s decision to resign, followed by M Venkaiah Naidu and Arun Jaitley.In the face of his imminent ouster, Thakur chose the honourable way out. Naidu and Jaitley are being drafted for party work, with Naidu tipped to take over as party chief. <br />Vajpayee spent the day closeted with his new deputy as well as with Jaswant Singh, Pramod Mahajan and George Fernandes, who is also the NDA convenor. <br />Vajpayee held two rounds of discussions with some of his senior colleagues. He met Jana Krishnamurthy, who may get law or the rural development portfolio. He also met Trinamul Congress leader Mamata Banerjee, who is apparently keen to get back the railway portfolio. She told journalists that she did not discuss portfolios but only had ‘‘political discussions’’ during her 40-minute meeting with the PM. <br />It is understood that Pattali Makkal Katchi’s N T Shanmugham and A C Murthy may be inducted into the council of ministers. MDMK supremo Vaiko is seeking a cabinet berth, but he is understood to have been told that he would have to agree to two of his colleagues, ministers of state at present, being dropped. <br />Apart from Thakur, at least four other ministers are likely to be dropped, BJP sources said. This includes Maneka Gandhi, who recently clashed with Thakur over the use of animals in conducting experiments. The fate of urban development minister Anantha Kumar, according to some reports, appears uncertain with plans to move him to the party being reconsidered. <br />Unlike on two earlier occasions, when the Prime Minister had to call off cabinet changes after even announcing the dates, the current reshuffle sees Vajpayee operating from a position of apparent strength. <br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="" font-style:="" italic="">Related stories: </span><br /><img src="/images/ticker.gif"> <a href="/articleshow.cms?msid=14565639">PM holds another round of talks</a><br /><img src="/images/ticker.gif"> <a href="/articleshow.cms?msid=14570010">Venkaiah Naidu may take over as BJP chief tomorrow</a><br /><img src="/images/ticker.gif"> <a href="/articleshow.cms?msid=14552365">It''s not a move to succeed PM: Advani</a><br /><img src="/images/ticker.gif"> <a href="/articleshow.cms?msid=14570010">Supporters of C P Thakur ransack BJP office</a><br /><img src="/images/ticker.gif"> <a href="/articleshow.cms?art_ID=14590545">Thakur condemns violent incident in Bihar</a><br /><img src="/images/ticker.gif"> <a href="/articleshow.cms?art_ID=14492595">Advani: Perfect foil to moderate Vajpayee</a> </img></img></img></img></img></img></div> </div>