PM meets Prez amid speculation on Cabinet reshuffle
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The
meeting lasted for 45 minutes during which the two leaders discussed
the current political situation, Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson Venu
Rajamony said in New Delhi on Saturday.
The
meeting comes a day after the 19-member Trinamool Congress gave a
letter to the President announcing withdrawal of support to the
Congress-led UPA government.
Both
the government and the Congress have maintained that with the outside
support of 43 MPs from the SP and the BSP, the ruling coalition has a
strength of over 300 in the 545-member Lok Sabha, which is well above
the halfway mark of 273.
Singh's
meeting with Mukherjee also takes place against the backdrop of his
strong defence of FDI and hike in diesel price. The decisions have been
attacked by allies, the NDA and the Left parties.
Explaining
the rationale behind the decisions, Singh, in a televised address to
the nation, had said if this was not done, the fiscal deficit would have
shot up resulting in price rise and more hardships for the common man.
Saturday’s
meeting comes amid speculation of a Cabinet reshuffle in the wake of
vacancies caused by the departure of Trinamool ministers as also some
ministers holding more than one portfolio.
An
official announcement said Union minister C P Joshi has been given
additional charge of Railways held by Mukul Roy of Trinamool Congress.
This is seen as a stop gap arrangement ahead of significant changes in the Council of Ministers.
President Mukherjee is scheduled to leave on a three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir on 26th September.
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