Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) leader Ajit Singh was inducted into the Union Cabinet as civil aviation minister on 18 December 2011. President Pratibha Patil administered the oath of office and secrecy to Singh at a ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhavan. The Jat leader will face the challenge of reviving the aviation sector in general and the government-owned Air India in particular as the new Civil Aviation minister.
The Civil Aviation Ministry was held by Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi after the elevation of Praful Patel as Cabinet Minister.
About Ajit Singh
Singh who is an MP from Baghpat is the fourth entry into the Cabinet. Ajit Singh is a six-time member of the Lok Sabha and represents his family bastion of Baghpat. This is the fourth time he has become a Union minister. He had joined the government for the first time in the V.P. Singh cabinet and was in charge of the industry portfolio from 1989 to 1990.
Son of the former Prime Minister, Chaudhary Charan Singh, Ajit Singh was a Minister in the P.V. Narasimha Rao-led Congress government, in the United Front government under Prime Minister V.P. Singh and later in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government.
Ajit Singh's biggest challenge is to revive Air India which is stuck in debt crisis. Singh will be expected to tackle issues such as growing operational costs, human resource optimisation and financial support.
With Singh's induction, the Cabinet strength now is 33 and the Council of Ministers 77. This is for the third time that it has been expanded in UPA-II. With the five-member RLD joining the UPA, its strength in the 545-strong Lok Sabha has gone up from 272 to 277.
Rashtriya Lok Dal
The RLD is 15th party to join the UPA. The major constituents of the UPA are the Trinamool Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. With five MPs of the RLD joining it, its strength in the Lok Sabha is now 277. The RLD joined the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) in mid December 2011.
The RLD was part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in the 2009 general elections. It had earlier partnered with the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party.
The RLD, which has presence in its traditional stronghold of western Uttar Pradesh, will contest the coming Assembly elections in the State along with the Congress. In state assembly election in 2012. The Congress is presently trying hard to revive its fortunes in India's most populous State under the leadership of party general secretary Rahul Gandhi.
category:national
The Civil Aviation Ministry was held by Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi after the elevation of Praful Patel as Cabinet Minister.
About Ajit Singh
Singh who is an MP from Baghpat is the fourth entry into the Cabinet. Ajit Singh is a six-time member of the Lok Sabha and represents his family bastion of Baghpat. This is the fourth time he has become a Union minister. He had joined the government for the first time in the V.P. Singh cabinet and was in charge of the industry portfolio from 1989 to 1990.
Son of the former Prime Minister, Chaudhary Charan Singh, Ajit Singh was a Minister in the P.V. Narasimha Rao-led Congress government, in the United Front government under Prime Minister V.P. Singh and later in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government.
Ajit Singh's biggest challenge is to revive Air India which is stuck in debt crisis. Singh will be expected to tackle issues such as growing operational costs, human resource optimisation and financial support.
With Singh's induction, the Cabinet strength now is 33 and the Council of Ministers 77. This is for the third time that it has been expanded in UPA-II. With the five-member RLD joining the UPA, its strength in the 545-strong Lok Sabha has gone up from 272 to 277.
Rashtriya Lok Dal
The RLD is 15th party to join the UPA. The major constituents of the UPA are the Trinamool Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. With five MPs of the RLD joining it, its strength in the Lok Sabha is now 277. The RLD joined the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) in mid December 2011.
The RLD was part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in the 2009 general elections. It had earlier partnered with the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party.
The RLD, which has presence in its traditional stronghold of western Uttar Pradesh, will contest the coming Assembly elections in the State along with the Congress. In state assembly election in 2012. The Congress is presently trying hard to revive its fortunes in India's most populous State under the leadership of party general secretary Rahul Gandhi.
category:national
