RJD leader Jay Prakash returns to government

New Delhi, Oct 24 (UNI) Barely a year after he quit the Manmohan Singh government over allegations of helping his brother in the Bihar assembly elections, RJD leader Jay Prakash Narayan Yadav today returned to the ministry in a reflection of the influence his party supremo Lalu Prasad wields in the UPA coalition.

Mr Yadav, 52, who was inducted as a minister of state, had resigned as the junior minister in the government holding the Water Resources portfolio, following charges that he exerted pressure on the state police for releasing his brother, who was arrested for electoral malpractices.

Mr Yadav, who represents the Munger constituency in Bihar, was the second minister to be sworn in today at the brief expansion exercise.

The RJD is the only party outside the Congress, whose nominee was inducted as a minister in today's expansion. The other new ministers were Mr A K Antony and Mr M H Ambareesh, both from the Congress.

UNI SKS/FZ MS HT2020