Afraid his powers may be diluted and some decision-making areas taken out of his ministry, Paswan told The Indian Express: ``I am here to play a proactive role in the field of telecommunications and not to just sit on the chair of Communications Minister if the powers are going to be handed over to some other ministry...Am I a government servant to be content in accepting any role handed out to me?''

On the first day he took charge, Paswan had grandly announced that he would set up internet dhabas across the country. With the government now deciding to separate this role from the Communications Ministry to the new IT ministry, the minister and his supporters aren't too happy.

But with no specifics yet as to the scope of the IT ministry, Paswan says: ``I have no reason as of now to beworried on this account as no such decision has been taken finally. If the IT ministry has functions which are an extension of the Communications Ministry, maybe even that ministry can be attached to the Communications Department.''

So far the Communications Ministry has been overseeing the field of internet operations. In fact, the Rs 700-crore project of setting up an ``internet backbone'' across the country was undertaken by the Communications department. Granting of licences to private internet operators and framing of internet policy had been done by the ministry as well. Not only this, international connectivity has so far been the monopoly of the Videsh Sanchar Nigam, (VSNL), which is a PSU under the Communications ministry.

While the New Telecom Policy 1999 has decided to allow private Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to set up their own gateways, the panel for clearing these requests was headed by the Communications Ministry.

Paswan says he's confident of his role a ``leader of the masses''and is well aware of his political clout in Bihar where state elections are scheduled next year. So he's not likely to relent in a hurry.

Incidentally, the picture is far from clear. According to a recent government notification, that IT ministry will look after IT-enabled services and promotion of internet services.

WHAT PASWAN COULD LOSE