Outgoing petroleum minister Mani Shankar Aiyar with successor Murli Deora in New Delhi on Monday. Picture by Rajesh Kumar

New Delhi, Jan. 30: Petroleum minister Murli Deora went to predecessor Mani Shankar Aiyar?s house this morning to try to assuage the latter?s hurt feelings, after which the two together arrived at the Shastri Bhavan office.

Deora took up the reins of the key economic ministry and as the media spotlight shifted to the newcomer, the articulate Aiyar receded to the background.

While the chiefs of the public sector oil firms congratulated the new minister, ONGC chairman Subir Raha must have truly welcomed the change. With petroleum secretary S.C. Tripathi retiring recently and Aiyar making his exit, the ONGC chief will now breathe easy.

Soon after assuming the office of minister of petroleum and natural gas, Deora said domestic issues like nursing navratana public sector companies back to the pink of financial health, making subsidised cooking fuel available to vulnerable and poor sections, exploring untapped hydrocarbon reserves and securing oilfields abroad top his agenda for the energy security for the nation.

This was precisely the agenda that Aiyar had been pursuing as well. The two will probably differ in their style of functioning. Aiyar was fond of making bold statements while pursuing his oil diplomacy that were seen as impinging on the turf of the ministry of external affairs. Deora is expected to maintain a lower profile on this front.

Aiyar had the cabinet?s approval for his oil diplomacy as the Prime Minister laid stress on inter-country pipelines for energy security of the nation. The erstwhile minister, however, moved at a pace that was not considered appropriate by the external affairs ministry.

Aiyar may draw some consolation from the fact that the youth and sports affairs charge that has come his way will enable him to oversee the hectic preparations for the prestigious 2010 commonwealth games. But he will certainly miss his high-profile globe trotting stint as the petroleum minister.

Since the government?s political compulsions to keep domestic petroleum prices in check will remain the same, the change of guard in the ministry will not have any impact in this regard. With international crude prices hitting the roof, the decisions on domestic prices are taken at the cabinet level and the petroleum minister merely conveys the financial concerns of the oil companies.