Curb ego, Cong tells squabbling ministers

NEW DELHI: The Congress leadership has slammed the squabbling ministers of Team Manmohan Singh, telling them it is not about "egos" and "personal ambitions".

The comment from party brass, which steered clear of mentioning whom it was directed at, marks a rare intervention in UPA-2 whose tenure has been marred by ego clashes and turf battles.

The editorial in the new edition of party mouthpiece `Congress Sandesh' deals with the issues -- price rise, Kashmir flareup, Naxal violence and the mess in mining sector -- which have led to feuding and washing of dirty policy linen in public.

"Politics is not a vehicle to be used for fulfilling personal ambitions. There are times when inflated egos, baseless notions and overrated views dominate actions of certain people. There should be a reasonable space and role for everybody who is working in the political field, but...it is also important that we understand that politics of social responsibility cannot be left to the whims of certain individuals."

The monthly editorial is viewed as the articulation of the leadership's views since it follows a signed letter by Sonia Gandhi.

The restiveness in leadership over squabbling has been palpable for some time. Sources said the editorial is indeed a rap on the knuckles of sparring ministers and disapproval of Jaganmohan Reddy's defiance.

Coming amid a growing perception of infighting and inertia in government and the rising fear that it might erode the advantage Congress had after its big victory in the 2009 polls, the message to ministers is clear.

Early on, AICC issued a gag order to its office-bearers, restricting them to speak on issues under their official brief. The party now seems to have turned its focus to ministers working at cross-purposes.

In fact, the restraint order for partymen had generated some heartburn among them because of the PMO's failure to enforce a similar "stick-to-your-brief" discipline among ministers.

UPA-2 has been hobbled by motormouth ministers whose unabating turf battles are blamed on "egos".

A war of words erupted recently when foreign minister SM Krishna said that union home secretary's comment on the eve of the Indo-Pak foreign ministers' meeting was a spoiler in the peace talks. As his comment buttressed a similar charge from the Pakistan foreign minister in a joint presser with Krishna, it led to serious inhouse trouble.

Elsewhere, the ministries of environment and surface transport are at loggerheads over many issues, while it was true about Jairam Ramesh's clash with science and technology over Bt Brinjal. There have been differences between law and HRD and `Kamalnath vs Montek Singh Ahluwalia' also led to drama.

The "personal ambitions" charge is also directed at Jaganmohan's defiant `odarpu yatra'. With YSR's son pushing for chief ministership by trying to appropriate his father's "welfarist legacy", against the party wishes, the reference to social duties not being "the whim of an individual" is seen as trenchant.