The Hindu : National : Aiyar felt "let down"

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 26, 2006

National

National

Aiyar felt "let down"

"I will have to confess that I was taken aback"

Mani Shankar Aiyar

New Delhi : Panchayati Raj Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar on Saturday admitted that he felt ``let down'' when the Petroleum and Natural Gas portfolio was taken away from him during the January 29 Union Cabinet reshuffle.

In an interview to CNN-IBN, to be telecast on Sunday evening, he, however, denied reports that he was stripped of the Petroleum Ministry because of his deteriorating relationship with the Gandhi family and his uneasy relationship with ONGC chief Subir Raha.

``Of course, one feels let down after taking so many new initiatives...I will have to confess that I was taken aback,'' he told the channel.

Mr. Aiyar, however, said that he was given only the temporary charge of the Ministry and this was specified during the government formation in May 2004.

"... at the time I was given the (petroleum) portfolio... I was told very categorically that this is a temporary assignment. What I had thought at that time was that it must be for 20 days. (But) when nothing happened for 20 months, I thought it was forgotten,'' he said.

Mr. Aiyar, who is now holding charge of Sports and Youth Affairs, said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke to him over telephone before his removal.

``He [Dr. Singh] rang me to say that he thought I had done a very good job and he was still trying to see if I could be retained but it did not appear possible.''

Mr. Aiyar said Congress president Sonia Gandhi had told him that Sports and Youth Affairs was an equally important portfolio as the coming Commonwealth Games (in 2010) is a big public concern. — UNI

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail