01-29-2006, 02:40 PM
<b><span style='font-size:21pt;line-height:100%'>MSA TUSH MUSHED</span></b> <!--emo&:clapping--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/clap.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='clap.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<b>New faces in Manmohan's cabinet</b>
NEW DELHI: Murli Deora, a Congress veteran from Mumbai, is the new petroleum minister, Vayalar Ravi, another old-timer from Kerala, is the overseas Indian affairs minister and Abdul Rehman Antulay takes over as the new minister of minority affairs in the first major reshuffle of the Indian cabinet here Sunday.
In the much-awaited reshuffle, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made no changes in the key ministries of external affairs, defence, home and finance, retaining charge of the foreign ministry himself possibly because he could not get a suitable person to steer the country's foreign policy at a time when major visits, like those of French President Jacques Chirac and US President George W. Bush are round the corner.
In all 22 new ministers - including seven cabinet ministers - were administered the oath of office by President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in a ceremony in the Ashoka Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan, the presidential palace. The wide-ranging changes affected 30 ministers and their portfolios.
Three ministers of state promoted to the cabinet rank and sworn in were Santosh Mohan Dev (heavy industries), Kapil Sibal (science and technology) and P.C. Gupta (company affairs) All three had held independent charge.
<b><span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>The prime minister took away petroleum from Mani Shankar Aiyar <!--emo&:flush--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/Flush.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='Flush.gif' /><!--endemo--> in an indication many say is due to his penchant for taking independent decisions that were somehow out of tune with the government's stand and gave it to first-time minister Deora, who is one of the most well-networked Indian politicians internationally.</span></b>
Manmohan Singh appointed Antulay, another party veteran from the days of former prime minister Indira Gandhi, as the government's first ever minority affairs minister while Vayalar Ravi, another senior leader from Kerala, has been named overseas Indian affairs minister at a time when the government is trying to increasingly connect with the 25-milllion Indian diaspora and draw on its talent and resources.
Other new cabinet ministers are Ambika Soni (tourism and culture), Sushilkumar Shinde (power), Saifuddin Soz (water resources) and Shibu Soren (coal).
G.K. Vasan, Renuka Chowdhury and Oscar Fernandes have been made ministers of state with independent charge. Vasan, from Tamil Nadu, is the son of late Congress stalwart G.K. Moopanar who at one time was a contender for prime minister before I.K. Gujral became the consensus candidate in 1997.
Anand Sharma, the Congress party spokesman, is a minister of state for external affairs as one of two junior ministers to the prime minister. E. Ahamed remains the other minister of state (junior minister) for external affairs, while Rao Inderjit Singh, who was minister of state for external affairs, has been shifted to defence.
Other ministers of state who have been appointed are Jairam Ramesh, T. Subbirami Reddy, Pawan Kumar Bansal, Ajay Maken, M.M. Pallanraju, Chandrashekhar Sahu, Akhilesh Das, Ashwani Kumar, Purandeshwari Devi and E.V.K. Elangovan.
The list was finalized after exhaustive meetings over the last two days between Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi, who is also chairperson of the ruling United Progressive Alliance.
Political observers say the changes bear the stamp of party fealty with those who have served the party loyally for long being rewarded with key ministerial responsibilities.
Cheers <!--emo&:beer--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='cheers.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<b>New faces in Manmohan's cabinet</b>
NEW DELHI: Murli Deora, a Congress veteran from Mumbai, is the new petroleum minister, Vayalar Ravi, another old-timer from Kerala, is the overseas Indian affairs minister and Abdul Rehman Antulay takes over as the new minister of minority affairs in the first major reshuffle of the Indian cabinet here Sunday.
In the much-awaited reshuffle, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made no changes in the key ministries of external affairs, defence, home and finance, retaining charge of the foreign ministry himself possibly because he could not get a suitable person to steer the country's foreign policy at a time when major visits, like those of French President Jacques Chirac and US President George W. Bush are round the corner.
In all 22 new ministers - including seven cabinet ministers - were administered the oath of office by President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in a ceremony in the Ashoka Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan, the presidential palace. The wide-ranging changes affected 30 ministers and their portfolios.
Three ministers of state promoted to the cabinet rank and sworn in were Santosh Mohan Dev (heavy industries), Kapil Sibal (science and technology) and P.C. Gupta (company affairs) All three had held independent charge.
<b><span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>The prime minister took away petroleum from Mani Shankar Aiyar <!--emo&:flush--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/Flush.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='Flush.gif' /><!--endemo--> in an indication many say is due to his penchant for taking independent decisions that were somehow out of tune with the government's stand and gave it to first-time minister Deora, who is one of the most well-networked Indian politicians internationally.</span></b>
Manmohan Singh appointed Antulay, another party veteran from the days of former prime minister Indira Gandhi, as the government's first ever minority affairs minister while Vayalar Ravi, another senior leader from Kerala, has been named overseas Indian affairs minister at a time when the government is trying to increasingly connect with the 25-milllion Indian diaspora and draw on its talent and resources.
Other new cabinet ministers are Ambika Soni (tourism and culture), Sushilkumar Shinde (power), Saifuddin Soz (water resources) and Shibu Soren (coal).
G.K. Vasan, Renuka Chowdhury and Oscar Fernandes have been made ministers of state with independent charge. Vasan, from Tamil Nadu, is the son of late Congress stalwart G.K. Moopanar who at one time was a contender for prime minister before I.K. Gujral became the consensus candidate in 1997.
Anand Sharma, the Congress party spokesman, is a minister of state for external affairs as one of two junior ministers to the prime minister. E. Ahamed remains the other minister of state (junior minister) for external affairs, while Rao Inderjit Singh, who was minister of state for external affairs, has been shifted to defence.
Other ministers of state who have been appointed are Jairam Ramesh, T. Subbirami Reddy, Pawan Kumar Bansal, Ajay Maken, M.M. Pallanraju, Chandrashekhar Sahu, Akhilesh Das, Ashwani Kumar, Purandeshwari Devi and E.V.K. Elangovan.
The list was finalized after exhaustive meetings over the last two days between Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi, who is also chairperson of the ruling United Progressive Alliance.
Political observers say the changes bear the stamp of party fealty with those who have served the party loyally for long being rewarded with key ministerial responsibilities.
Cheers <!--emo&:beer--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='cheers.gif' /><!--endemo-->