The Hindu : Front Page : Karunanidhi Ministry to be sworn in today

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, May 13, 2006

Front Page

Front Page

Karunanidhi Ministry to be sworn in today

R.K.Radhakrishnan

Congress to lend outside support; Stalin included in Cabinet

CHENNAI : A 31-member minority Government will be sworn in in Tamil Nadu on Saturday when Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president M. Karunanidhi and his Cabinet colleagues take oath. The DMK has 96 MLAs in a House of 234 members.

The Congress has said that it will lend outside support to the government. While the Congress handed over its letter of support for the DMK to Governor S.S. Barnala on Friday, the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Communist Party of India had given their letters on Thursday.

The swearing-in will be held at the Nehru Indoor Stadium in the city and the party leaders, led by Mr. Karunanidhi's son and party deputy general secretary M.K. Stalin, are working hard to ensure that the function will be a simple but memorable affair.

Mr. Stalin, the former city Mayor, who won from Thousand Lights for the fourth time, will be sworn in as Minister for the first time.

Mr. Stalin has been given the Local Administration portfolio in view of the fact that he had been the Mayor twice. Both the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker from the 11th Assembly — P.T.R. Palanivel Rajan and Parithi Ilamvazhuthi respectively — have been accommodated.

Mr. Karunanidhi will hold the portfolios of Home and Industries, while K. Anbazhagan has been allotted Finance. Mr. Karunanidhi has ensured balance — there are three women Ministers and two Muslims.

Pranab to attend

PTI reports from New Delhi:

Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee will head a two-member delegation of the Congress at the swearing-in ceremony.

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