Will Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Ajit Singh join the UPA government? He has had hush-hush parleys with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee. Those in the know say that he wants commerce ministry while the Congress is offering him the non-conventional energy ministry.

Mukherjee last week spent two hours with Ajit Singh to convince him to join the government. Ajit Singh has five MPs in Lok Sabha and the alliance, if it comes through, will help the Congress in Uttar Pradesh assembly elections next year. It will also send a signal to the allies like NCP to keep a low profile.

Hectic political activities have begun ahead of the second half of the budget session beginning on April 15.

It was in February, when the opposition had united on the price rise that the Core Committee of the Congress authourised Mukherjee to work out a formula with Ajit Singh.

Ajit Singh can help the Congress in the long run. With the support of the Rashtriya Lok Dal MLAs in UP, the Congress might field Captain Satish Sharma as a Rajya Sabha canidate. He can also help in making a dent in pockets where Mayawati is strong.