NEW DELHI: Mr. K. Karunakaran, Mr, Jagannath Mishra and Mr. AR. Antulay were inducted into the Union Cabinet on June 10 by Prime Minister P.Y. Narasimha a limited expansion of his Ministry.
Something more is coming,” the Prime Minister told newspersons indicating a further expansion of his 60Member Council of Ministers in the near future,
Party sources expect the next expansion would be linked with the revamping of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) executive. Portfolios of the three Ministers are expected to be announced this week. There are indications that Karunakaran will the Health Ministry, Mishra Rural Development and Antulay the Ministry for Law, Company Affairs and Justice.
Karunakaran, Mishra and Antulay, the three former Chief Ministers of Kerala, Bihar and Maharashtra respectively, were administered the oath of office and secrecy by President Shankar Dayal Sharma at a brief ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhavan. All three will be Ministers at the Center for the first time.
Rao’s decision to go in for a limited expansion has taken the party men by surprise many of whom were expecting the Prime Minister to use the opportunity for a major exercise. The Prime Minister himself had indicated at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting last month that about four to five senior Ministers would be drafted into the party organization (as “AICC General Secretaries). However, sources expect that the second expansion, likely to be effected after Rao returns from France on June 14, would take care of all these aspects. Karunakaran’s entry to the Cabinet was expected. Both Rao and the senior leader who had: paved way for A.K. Antony to become the Chief Minister in Kerala, have been giving firm indications in this regard.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 16, 1995
