Sulking Jena meets PM; may assume office on Wed

After avoiding taking charge as Minister of State for over a week,Srikant Jena met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh amid indications that he may assume office in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers.

After avoiding taking charge as Minister of State for over a week,Srikant Jena met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh amid indications that he may assume office in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers.

Jena,who was apparently unhappy over his ministerial status,met Singh and expressed his grievances,sources close to him said.

Singh “again assured him that he would look into his grievances”,the sources said.

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Jena,Congress MP from Balasore in Orissa who was a Cabinet minister a decade ago in the then United Front Government,is hopeful of an elevation to the Cabinet rank in future,they said,adding that he is “likely to take charge on Wednesday”.

He had earlier expressed his displeasure before Singh,who had assured him to look into the matter.

Sources said that Jena took oath as a Minister of State on May 28 only due to personal request from the Prime Minister.

Jena’s Cabinet Minister M K Alagiri in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers is a first time MP.