NEW DELHI (PTI): Indian Prime Minister P.V.Narasimha Rao April 19 hinted at undertaking another shakeup of his cabinet after the current budget session of Parliament.
Asked when he would have a new defense minister, the prime minister said, “you will have a new defense minister after the budget session.”
He was replying to queries by newsmen soon after the investiture ceremony at the president’s house. Rao had taken additional charge of defense following Sharad Pawar’s nomination as the chief minister of the western state of Maharashtra.
Rao evaded most of the queries from newsmen on the latest developments in Pakistan saying that the external affairs minister would give detailed assessment on the situation in Parliament.
Asked when he was likely to undertake reshuffle of governors, he said, “It was the prerogative of the president.”
Asked about conflicting reports on whether the government did or did not favor holding of elections in the four north Indian states: Madhya Pradesh, Uuar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh, Rao said government was consulting like-minded opposition parties adding that, “the process of consultation was on.”
He said he was not surprised by accusation made by the Right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, L.K.Advani in his white paper holding the government responsible for the demolition of the disputed structure at Ayodhya.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 23, 1993
