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New Indian ministers are sworn in New Indian ministers are sworn in
(about 1 hour later)
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has finalised his new cabinet after days of political manoeuvring.Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has finalised his new cabinet after days of political manoeuvring.
Fifty-nine new ministers were sworn in at a ceremony in the capital, Delhi. They join Mr Singh and 19 others who took the oath of office on Friday.Fifty-nine new ministers were sworn in at a ceremony in the capital, Delhi. They join Mr Singh and 19 others who took the oath of office on Friday.
The 79-strong cabinet is a mix of young and old and gives representation to different castes and regions of India. The 79-strong cabinet is a mix of young and old and seeks to reflect different castes, regions and minorities.
Mr Singh is back in power for a second time after his Congress party won a decisive mandate in recent elections.Mr Singh is back in power for a second time after his Congress party won a decisive mandate in recent elections.
He is the first prime minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to be returned to office following a full five-year term.He is the first prime minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to be returned to office following a full five-year term.
Congress has made tackling the effects of the global economic crisis and ensuring growth its key priorities. Congress has made tackling the effects of the global economic crisis and ensuring growth its key priorities. The party and its allies won 262 seats in the 543-seat parliament, compared with the BJP-led alliance's 158.
When votes were counted on 16 May after the marathon five-phase general election, Congress and its allies had 262 seats in parliament, compared with the BJP-led alliance's 158. New faces
New ministers
Among those who have been sworn in on Thursday are the former chief minister of Indian-administered Kashmir, Farooq Abdullah.
Ministers in the previous government Praful Patel, Sriprakash Jaiswal and Jairam Ramesh are also included in the second list.
Those sworn in on Thursday include Agatha Sangma who at 28 years is India's youngest minister ever.
Ms Sangma is an MP from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), a key ally of the Congress.
Her father PA Sangma was a leading politician, and she has taken over his seat in parliament.
Analysis: PM's tough agenda India's key new ministers What business wants
Congress veterans Pranab Mukherjee, AK Antony and P Chidambaram were among those taking the oath.
The council of ministers includes several veterans as well as a number of young dynamic faces.
Among the prominent young ministers are the Congress party's Jyotiraditya Scindia (38), Sachin Pilot (31) and Jitin Prasada (36).
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh forwarded the list of new ministers to President Pratibha Patil on Wednesday.
Mr Singh also called all his cabinet ministers on the phone earlier in the day to discuss their role in the new government.
The ministries are expected to be allotted once the ceremony is complete.
Last Friday, Mr Singh and a 19-member cabinet took the oath of office from President Patil at a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the presidential palace, in Delhi.Last Friday, Mr Singh and a 19-member cabinet took the oath of office from President Patil at a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the presidential palace, in Delhi.
Among them were Congress stalwarts like Pranab Mukherjee, P Chidambaram, AK Antony and SM Krishna. class="" href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/8062882.stm">Analysis: PM's tough agenda class="" href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/8063285.stm">India's key new ministers class="" href="/1/hi/business/8059310.stm">What business wants
Sharad Pawar and Mamata Banerjee, leaders of the key alliance partners, were also included in the cabinet. Among them were Congress stalwarts like Pranab Mukherjee, P Chidambaram, AK Antony and SM Krishna. Sharad Pawar and Mamata Banerjee, leaders of key alliance partners, were also included in the cabinet.
The prime minister's office had said that an expansion later on would give due representation to allied parties. Mr Singh forwarded the full list of ministers to President Pratibha Patil on Wednesday, after calling his new team members earlier in the day to discuss their roles.
The cabinet includes several veterans as well as a number of young faces. Most portfolios are still to be allotted.
Among ministers sworn in on Thursday were:
  • Farooq Abdullah, former chief minister of Indian-administered Kashmir
  • Praful Patel, Sriprakash Jaiswal and Jairam Ramesh, who served in the previous government
  • Rising Congress stars Jyotiraditya Scindia (38), Sachin Pilot (31) and Jitin Prasada (36)
  • Former UN diplomat Shashi Tharoor
  • Agatha Sangma, who at 28 is India's youngest minister ever
Ms Sangma, from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), has taken over the seat her father used to hold.
Gandhi
In recent days, Mr Singh and the leader of his Congress party, Sonia Gandhi, have been bargaining hard with their electoral allies over the distribution of cabinet positions.In recent days, Mr Singh and the leader of his Congress party, Sonia Gandhi, have been bargaining hard with their electoral allies over the distribution of cabinet positions.
Soon after the election results were announced, the prime minister had said he would persuade Rahul Gandhi, son of Congress party president Sonia Gandhi, to join the cabinet.Soon after the election results were announced, the prime minister had said he would persuade Rahul Gandhi, son of Congress party president Sonia Gandhi, to join the cabinet.
But Mr Gandhi declined the offer; he said he wanted to continue his work to strengthen the party's youth wing. But Mr Gandhi declined the offer. He said he wanted to continue his work to strengthen the party's youth wing.