PM to induct 8 ministers, Maken heads Cong media unit

New Delhi, June 17: Manmohan Singh will induct eight new ministers into union ministry today as he gears up for the 2014 general elections. The Congress party is also preparing for the elections with a new, young and handsome man at its media counter.

Sisram Ola, Oscar Fernandes, Girija Vyas and K S Rao will be sworn in as Cabinet Ministers and Manikrao Gavit, Santosh Chowdhury, J D Seelam, E M S Natchiappan will be Ministers of State.

The party may be bringing in old hands to the ministry but realising the importance pf communication and message in the age of twitter and facebook, it has appointed youthful Ajay Maken as the head of the media department. The media unit has been rechristened "Communication, Publicity and Publication". General Secretary Maken will be assisted by Maharashtra MP Priya Dutt as secretary.

Maken 's appointment clearly indicates the party's intentions to appeal to the youth and convey youthful image to the electorate.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi has reshuffled her team and the team-members, who are considered close party vice president Rahul Gandhi get important billing.

Party leaders considered close to him, CP Joshi, Madhusudan Mistry and Mohan Prakash, have managed to get important states. Mistry, who is turning out to be a lucky charm for Congress after the party's victory in the Karnataka and Kerala elections under his direct charge, has now been given charge of politically crucial Uttar Pradesh.

Ambika Soni has been made general secretary in charge of the Congress president's office. This is a sort of promotion for Soni after she had quit cabinet to join the party set up. She will now share Sonia's attention along with Sonia's political secretary Ahmed Patel.

OneIndia News