The slow and zealously guarded decision process in the Congress has caused deep anxiety in the top echelons of the party and its allies with almost everyone, barring the six whose portfolios have been announced, waiting for that elusive phone call informing them of their fate.

While the arrangement with allies has been reached — the Trinamool Congress though has asked for one more berth of Minister of State — the problem for the Congress is now within. There is a clamour among Lok Sabha MPs for adequate regional representation. This has delayed decision making, even raising doubts about tomorrow’s swearing-in ceremony. Wednesday also seems unlikely given that it is the death anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru.

Mallikarjun Kharge, the 67-year-old Karnataka leader and a prominent Dalit face, claims to have contested because he was told he would be “suitably rewarded”. He stepped down as Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, but the post has not been filled yet — the state leadership awaits his fate at the Centre first.

With S M Krishna and Veerappa Moily already being inducted in the first batch, Kharge called up a Congress general secretary to inquire whether he should give up on the Bangalore post since his future in Delhi was uncertain and he had received no phone call.

Kapil Sibal, Kamal Nath and Moily are chief stars of every ministry speculator, having been assigned almost every important ministry below Raisina Hill. Kamal Nath, who was hoping to go up the Hill, is now slightly disappointed and is learnt to have held lengthy meetings with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee but came out with no firm answer. In fact, at one point, Defence Ministry mandarins had the bio-data of both A K Antony and Kamal Nath ready while the suspense was on.

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