NEW: V.P. Singh on Tuesday expanded his government with the induction of 15 cabinet ministers and two ministers of state. He retains defense. Mr Devi Lal gets agriculture.
The cabinet ministers are Madhu Dandavate (finance) George Fernandes (railways), Ajit Singh (industry), Sharad Yadav, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed (home), Arun Nehru (commerce), Arif Moha mmed Khan, Ram Bilas Paswan, Nilamani Routray, M.S. Gurup adaswamy, P. Upendra, K.P. Un nikrishnan, Dinesh Goswami, Mu rosoli Maran and LK. Gujral (for eign).
The minister of state are Maneka Gandhi and Manubhai Kot adia. Nathuram Mirdha whose name figured in the list did not tum up while Yashwant Sinha who was to be swom in as a minister of state came to the staircase of Ashoka Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan but went back without taking his oath.
The broad based council of ministers which gives representation to all the constituents of the five party National Front was swam in by the President at a glittering ceremony at the Ashok Hall of Rashtrapathi Bhavan.
Madhu Dandavate and George Fernanades returned to the cabinet after more than a decade. Both were ministers in the shortlived Janata Government in 1977. Ajit Singh is the son of former Prime Minister Charan Singh. M.S. Gur upadaswamy is the leader of the Janata Dal in the Rajya Sabha and P. Upendra is the leader of the Telegu Desam Party (TDP) in the upper house.
Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, who resigned from the Rajiy Gandhi government because of differences, has also retained his cabinet rank. Two former ministers of state in Rajiv government, Arun Nehru and Arif Mohammed Khan, who left the party along with V.P. Singh, have been elevated to the cabinet rank.
- Gujral is a former information and broadcasting minister and ambassador to the Soviet Union.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 8, 1989
