Cong takes charge of cabinet
29 Oct 2012 6:49 AM IST
The Congress, on Sunday, through a huge cabinet reshuffle sent out a message that it wants to give one last push at arresting the fast dwindling fortunes of the Manmohan Singh government. By appointing Salman Khurshid as Minister for External Affairs, it made clear that there was no space for detractors. Khurshid has been embroiled in a no-holds-barred battle with Arvind Kejriwal’s India Against Corruption.
However, in the midst of claims of ‘youth being given a chance’, the government could have to answer some uncomfortable questions over shifting S Jaipal Reddy from Petroleum to an inconsequential Ministry for Science and Technology and Earth Science. Reddy had taken a rather tough stand on the Reliance Industries and it remains to be seen if his replacement does the same.
The induction of West Bengal Congress leaders has been done in a way that it rules out reconciliation with the Trinamool Congress. Party MPs Adhir Chaudhary, AH Khan Chaudhary and Deepa Dasmunsi have been made ministers of state in Railways, Health and Family Welfare and Urban Development respectively against the vacancies created by Trinamool’s exit.
However, the other ally NCP has gained with Rajya Sabha MP Tariq Anwar not only being inducted but made MoS in Agriculture, the ministry headed by NCP boss Sharad Pawar. Andhra Pradesh has been a big gainer. However, party general secretary Digvijaya Singh has struck a discordant note on his home state of Madhya Pradesh no getting its due.
Salman Khurshid was on Sunday named the new External Affairs Minister and Veerappa Moily given Petroleum portfolio in the major reshuffle of the Council of Ministers by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who inducted 17 new faces including Chiranjeevi and Manish Tewari.
The much talked about revamp of the government that has been facing criticism over perceived policy paralysis and corruption allegations saw Pawan Kumar Bansal getting Railways while S Jaipal Reddy lost the high profile Petroleum and moved to Science and Technology and Earth Sciences.
With the coming Winter session of Parliament expected to be stormy, Parliamentary Affairs, which was handled by Bansal, has also been given to Congress veteran Kamal Nath who will continue to have the Urban Development portfolio. Water Resources, which was also handled by Bansal, goes to Harish Rawat in his elevated rank as Cabinet minister.
Shashi Tharoor, who had to quit as Minister of State as External Affairs in April 2010 in the wake of allegations of wrongdoing in buying stakes in an IPL team, has made a comeback as MoS in Human Resources Development.
The new faces brought in included actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi who has been made MoS with Independent charge in the Ministry of Tourism while Manish Tewari has been given I&B, a portfolio held by Ambika Soni who resigned yesterday.
Former Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman and veteran leader from Karnataka K Rahman Khan made a re-entry into the government as Minority Affairs Minister, a portfolio held by Khurshid. In UPA-I, Khan was a Minister of State.
Surprisingly, Khurshid, who also held the portfolio of Law, got the high-profile External Affairs Ministry despite the controversy surrounding him over allegations of financial bungling by a trust run by him and his wife in Uttar Pradesh.
Dinsha Patel was promoted as Cabinet Minister in Mines Ministry in the reshuffle and expansion that raised the strength of the Council of Ministers to 78 from 67.
Rahul Gandhi, who was earlier speculated to join the government, kept away with the Prime Minister saying the young leader wants to strengthen the party, notwithstanding his request to become a minister.
The exercise, which the PM said was ‘hopefully, probably the last’ before next LS polls, was confined to Congress party barring the inclusion of Tariq Anwar of NCP as a Minister of State.
22 ministers were administered the oath of office and secrecy by President Pranab Mukherjee at a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan attended by Vice President Hamid Ansari, the Prime Minister, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Cabinet Ministers and Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj.
Significant changes have also been made by upgrading three young Ministers of State, considered close to Rahul Gandhi, and giving them independent charge.
They are Jyotiraditya Scindia who has been given Power and Sachin Pilot Corporate Affairs, both of which were held by Moily in Cabinet rank. Jitendra Singh, who was MoS in Home Ministry, has been given Youth and Sports Affairs.
However, in the midst of claims of ‘youth being given a chance’, the government could have to answer some uncomfortable questions over shifting S Jaipal Reddy from Petroleum to an inconsequential Ministry for Science and Technology and Earth Science. Reddy had taken a rather tough stand on the Reliance Industries and it remains to be seen if his replacement does the same.
The induction of West Bengal Congress leaders has been done in a way that it rules out reconciliation with the Trinamool Congress. Party MPs Adhir Chaudhary, AH Khan Chaudhary and Deepa Dasmunsi have been made ministers of state in Railways, Health and Family Welfare and Urban Development respectively against the vacancies created by Trinamool’s exit.
However, the other ally NCP has gained with Rajya Sabha MP Tariq Anwar not only being inducted but made MoS in Agriculture, the ministry headed by NCP boss Sharad Pawar. Andhra Pradesh has been a big gainer. However, party general secretary Digvijaya Singh has struck a discordant note on his home state of Madhya Pradesh no getting its due.
Salman Khurshid was on Sunday named the new External Affairs Minister and Veerappa Moily given Petroleum portfolio in the major reshuffle of the Council of Ministers by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who inducted 17 new faces including Chiranjeevi and Manish Tewari.
The much talked about revamp of the government that has been facing criticism over perceived policy paralysis and corruption allegations saw Pawan Kumar Bansal getting Railways while S Jaipal Reddy lost the high profile Petroleum and moved to Science and Technology and Earth Sciences.
With the coming Winter session of Parliament expected to be stormy, Parliamentary Affairs, which was handled by Bansal, has also been given to Congress veteran Kamal Nath who will continue to have the Urban Development portfolio. Water Resources, which was also handled by Bansal, goes to Harish Rawat in his elevated rank as Cabinet minister.
Shashi Tharoor, who had to quit as Minister of State as External Affairs in April 2010 in the wake of allegations of wrongdoing in buying stakes in an IPL team, has made a comeback as MoS in Human Resources Development.
The new faces brought in included actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi who has been made MoS with Independent charge in the Ministry of Tourism while Manish Tewari has been given I&B, a portfolio held by Ambika Soni who resigned yesterday.
Former Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman and veteran leader from Karnataka K Rahman Khan made a re-entry into the government as Minority Affairs Minister, a portfolio held by Khurshid. In UPA-I, Khan was a Minister of State.
Surprisingly, Khurshid, who also held the portfolio of Law, got the high-profile External Affairs Ministry despite the controversy surrounding him over allegations of financial bungling by a trust run by him and his wife in Uttar Pradesh.
Dinsha Patel was promoted as Cabinet Minister in Mines Ministry in the reshuffle and expansion that raised the strength of the Council of Ministers to 78 from 67.
Rahul Gandhi, who was earlier speculated to join the government, kept away with the Prime Minister saying the young leader wants to strengthen the party, notwithstanding his request to become a minister.
The exercise, which the PM said was ‘hopefully, probably the last’ before next LS polls, was confined to Congress party barring the inclusion of Tariq Anwar of NCP as a Minister of State.
22 ministers were administered the oath of office and secrecy by President Pranab Mukherjee at a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan attended by Vice President Hamid Ansari, the Prime Minister, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Cabinet Ministers and Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj.
Significant changes have also been made by upgrading three young Ministers of State, considered close to Rahul Gandhi, and giving them independent charge.
They are Jyotiraditya Scindia who has been given Power and Sachin Pilot Corporate Affairs, both of which were held by Moily in Cabinet rank. Jitendra Singh, who was MoS in Home Ministry, has been given Youth and Sports Affairs.
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