Radhika Selvi sworn-in; MoS in Home Ministry

New Delhi, May 18 (UNI) DMK's V Radhika Selvi was today appointed Minister of State for Home in the three-year-old UPA government headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

President A P J Abdul Kalam administered the oaths of office and secrecy to Ms Selvi at a simple function at the Durbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan this morning. She took oath in English.

The Prime Minister and his Cabinet colleagues, including Mr Pranab Mukherjee, Mr Shivraj Patil and Mr P Chidambaram, and a host of other dignitaries attended the ceremony.

A Rashtrapati Bhavan communique said the President had allocated the MoS, Home, portfolio to Ms Selvi on the advice of the Prime Minister.

The induction of the DMK MP, who represents Tiruchendur Lok Sabha Constituency in Tamil Nadu, into the Ministry was necessitated by the resignation of Mr Dayanidhi Maran as Communications and IT Minister following differences with party chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and the subsequent reshuffle of portfolios.

UNI