PM to take charge of I

New Delhi, Nov 11 (UNI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today took charge of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry in view of the illness of present incumbent Priyaranjan Dasmunsi.

''The President of India as adviced by the Prime Minister has directed that the Prime Minister will hold the charge of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting during the period of indisposition of Mr Priyaranjan Dasmunsi or till such time he is able to resume his work as the Minister for Information and Broadcasting,'' a communique from the Rashtrapati Bhavan said here.

The President has further directed that Mr Dasmunsi will continue to hold the rank of minister in the cabinet without portfolio.

Mr Dasmunsi was admitted to AIIMS on October 13 after suffering complete left ventricular failure and was shifted to the Indraprastha Apollo hospital a week later. He has been on life support for almost a month and there were no signs of improvement in his condition.

Earlier, he had suffered a heart attack on July 6 while on way to Kolkata from Malda after attending a meeting. He had undergone an angioplasty and stenting of two coronary arteries in a hospital in Kolkata.

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