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This is an archive article published on December 19, 2011

Ajit sworn in,says ‘mind now on UP

Rastriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Ajit Singh was on Sunday inducted into the Union Cabinet and was given Civil Aviation portfolio. The swearing-in ceremony of the 72-year-old leader from Uttar Pradesh at the Ashoka Hall of Rashtrapati Bhawan came about a week after the RLD joined the UPA increasing its strength by five MPs in […]

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Rastriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Ajit Singh was on Sunday inducted into the Union Cabinet and was given Civil Aviation portfolio. The swearing-in ceremony of the 72-year-old leader from Uttar Pradesh at the Ashoka Hall of Rashtrapati Bhawan came about a week after the RLD joined the UPA increasing its strength by five MPs in the Lok Sabha. The Opposition NDA was conspicuous by its absence at the oath-taking ceremony in which UPA constituents,including the DMK,the NCP and the TMC,were also absent.

“As advised by the Prime Minister,the President of India has been pleased to allocate the portfolio of the Ministry of Civil Aviation to Shri Ajit Singh,” said a Rashtrapati Bhawan communique.

This was the third expansion of the Union ministry since UPA-II came to power in 2009.

With Singh’s induction as the 33th Cabinet minister in Manmohan Singh’s team,the strength of the Council of Ministers has gone up to 79.

“Our mind now is on Uttar Pradesh. People of UP are feeling oppressed by the Mayawati government but are now getting an alternative. People have now got a clear-cut alternative,” Ajit Singh told reporters soon after taking oath of office at Rashtrapati Bhawan. He said the “wave” generated in Uttar Pradesh due to the Congress-RLD alliance will be felt across the country.

As per its seat-sharing pact with the Congress,the RLD will contest 45 seats in UP,although RLD sources said they were expecting to “get a couple more seats” about which the Congress will take a call later.

It is Ajit Singh’s fourth stint in the Union Cabinet.

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He had held Industry portfolio in the V P Singh Cabinet and was Food Minister in the Narasimha Rao Cabinet from February 1995 to May 1996. He was Agriculture Minister in the NDA government from July 2001 to May 2003.

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