Tough bargaining on over cabinet berths

T'puram: UDF constituent partners engaged in some tough bargaining as discussions over cabinet berths and key portfolios continued late into Saturday night. The talks are likely to resume on Sunday morning.Kerala Congress (Joseph) group raised the biggest hurdle before the Congress brass as the party, boasting seven MLAs, demanded two cabinet berths. Joseph faction argued that it deserves two berths because IUML has been allotted five ministerial positions. KC(Joseph) functionaries also say that the party had sacrificed two seats for Congress going into the assembly election.While it has become almost certain that Mons Joseph will represent the party in the cabinet, the faction is also pressing for revenue portfolio — a demand that the Congress brass is reportedly reluctant to accept.Similarly, Shibu Baby John of RSP is certain to become the minister, but the party has sought a major portfolio such as power, adding to the complexity of the negotiations.Another contentious issue relates to the Congress proposal that Anoop Jacob of Kerala Congress (Jacob) and Mani C Kappan of Kerala Democratic Party should share a single cabinet berth under a rotational arrangement. Sources said both leaders were unhappy with the suggestion, though efforts are under way to persuade them to accept the compromise.Although Congress and IUML have broadly agreed on allocating five cabinet berths to the latter, discussions over portfolio distribution remain unresolved. IUML functionaries are reportedly demanding major departments including industry, education, public works and local self-govt. The fifth berth to be allotted to the party has also not yet been finalised.Sources said P K Kunhalikutty, N Samsudheen, Parakkal Abdulla, K M Shaji and V E Abdul Gafoor are the frontrunners for the five slots. Senior functionary P K Basheer is also learnt to be in the race. Meanwhile, CMP's C P John has demanded ports portfolio. However, the Congress brass is understood to have offered cooperation instead, an arrangement that John is reportedly unwilling to accept.Congress functionaries indicated that the party would be able to finalise portfolios for its own nominees only after completing negotiations with UDF allies. Intense efforts are therefore continuing to conclude the discussions and arrive at a consensus on cabinet composition at the earliest.