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Dr Manmohan Singh sworn in as India's PM for 2nd term

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

New Delhi, May 22, IRNA - Dr Manmohan Singh sworn in as the Prime Minister for the second consecutive term on Friday evening.

He was administered the oath of office and secrecy by the President Mrs Pritibha Devisingh Patil at an impressive function at the Central Hall of Rashtrapati Bhawan (Presidential Palace) in New Delhi.

Mr Pranab Mukherjee, Mr. Sharad Pawar, Mr. A K Antony, Mr. P Chidambaram, Ms. Mamata Banerjee are among 19 Cabinet Ministers who took the oath. Former Chief Ministers, Mr. S M Krishna, Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mr. Sushil Kumar Shinde and Mr. S Jaipal Reddy, Mr. Kamal Nath, Mr. Vayalar Ravi, Mr. M.Veerappa Moily, Ms. Meira Kumar, Mr. Murli Deora, Mr. Kapil Sibal, Ms. Ambika Soni, Mr. B K Handique, Mr. Anand Sharma and Mr. C P Joshi were also inducted in the Cabinet.

While two allies of United Progressive Alliance (UPA), Trinamool Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) were given berths in the Cabinet today, other alliance partners may find place in the next expansion on Tuesday.

Apart from Cabinet rank Ministers, Ministers of State with independent charge and Ministers of State will be inducted in that expansion.

The Prime Minister was originally supposed to submit a full list of Ministers to the President on Thursday and his full-fledged team was supposed to take oath today.

However the plan got derailed after DMK and Congress could not resolve an impasse over cabinet berths.

Important dignitaries who were present at the swearing in ceremony are Vice President, Mr. Hamid Ansari, UPA Chairperson Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and the leader of the opposition, Mr. L K Advani, Chief Ministers of several states, RJD chief Mr. Lalu Prasad, CPIM Leader Mr. Sita Ram Yechury, LJP President, Mr. Ram Vilas Paswan and SP Chief, Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav.

The first session of the newly-constituted Lok Sabha is expected to begin from June 2, and is likely to continue till June 10.

Starting his second term, the Prime Minister has made it clear that the people have spoken in favour of good governance and he intends to focus on performance and accountability while choosing his ministers.

The PM had in fact stressed on a "responsive" and "efficient" government and also made a case for major economic reforms during a speech to the newly elected Congress MPs this week.

Known as "Mr Clean" for his incorruptible image and the "father of India's economic reforms" for unshackling the Indian economy in 1991, Singh has steered the economy through a period of nine percent growth in recent years.