Indian PM brings in younger MPs in cabinet reshuffle
Indian leader's reshuffle made in bid to breathe new life into his aged and scandal-ridden government ahead of state and federal elections
Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has given his cabinet an overdue facelift, bringing in younger ministers in a bid to breathe new life into his aged, scandal-tainted government ahead of state and federal elections.
The reshuffle, which has been on the cards for six months, may be Singh's last chance to significantly change the direction of his government and convince voters the ruling Congress party deserves a third consecutive term in 2014.
He rejigged about a third of his 30-member cabinet, and reshuffled a number of key portfolios, including, oil, foreign policy, railways and justice. As part of the image makeover, he also brought in a raft of new, younger junior ministers who will not have cabinet-level posts.
Notably absent from the new names was Rahul Gandhi, the scion of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty that has governed India for much of the 65 years since independence. Gandhi is expected to be the party's candidate for prime minister in the 2014 election but has so far shied away from a formal role in government.
Singh said after a swearing-in ceremony for the new ministers that he had wanted Gandhi in the cabinet but that the Congress party general-secretary wanted to work for the party. The party is headed by Rahul's mother, Sonia Gandhi.
Several of the new junior ministers, however, are closely linked to the 42-year-old Gandhi, which could extend his influence in the council of ministers without directly exposing him to potential damage if the government's popularity fails to pick up.