Senior Samata Party leader George Fernandes, who quit the Union cabinet following the Tehelka expose, was re-inducted as a cabinet minister while BJP leader Harin Pathak was sworn-in as Minister of State in New Delhi on Monday morning.
The two were administered the oath of office and secrecy by President K R Narayanan at a simple function at Rashtrapati Bhawan. Mr George Fernandes stepped down as defence minister following the tehelka expose earlier this year while Mr Harin Pathak, who was the minister of state for defence had to quit after he was chargesheeted in a 1985 riot case.
Sources in the Prime Minister`s Office said the expansion was a limited one but a reshuffle of some portfolios was likely later in the day. This is the sixth expansion-cum-reshuffle of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee led-council of ministers since the NDA government took over on October 13, 1999.
Earlier, reports of Mr Fernandes` likely reinduction had been criticised by Opposition parties as the Venkataswamy Commission probing the Tehelka expose is yet to complete its probe. Mr Harin Pathak, who was Minister of State for Defence, and Gujarat Health Minister Ashok Bhatt stepped down from their posts after they were named in a chargesheeted in connection with the murder of a police constable during communal riots in Gujarat in 1985.
Bureau Report