PM calls meeting of Union Cabinet

A day after being sworn in as Prime Minister for a second term, Manmohan Singh called a meeting of the Union Cabinet this morning.

Though the meeting is being described as a customary one, sources said it is likely to take a decision on convening a Parliament session to enable new members to take oath.

President Pratibha Patil will be addressing a joint sitting of both the houses during the session.

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister visited Mahatma Gandhi's memorials besides those of other departed leaders and placed a wreath on them.

Singh was yesterday sworn-in as Prime Minister for a second term along with 19 other Cabinet ministers including new entrants S M Krishna and Mamata Banerjee.

The 76-year-old economist-politician was sworn in along with senior members of his previous team, Pranab Mukherjee, P Chidambaram, Sharad Pawar and A K Antony.

The 19 ministers, all of Cabinet rank, include Ghulam Nabi Azad, Veerappa Moily, new entrant Rajasthan PCC chief C P Joshi and Anand Sharma and B K Handique, who were promoted from the previous ministry.

Others inducted were S Jaipal Reddy, Kamal Nath, Vayalar Ravi, Meira Kumar, Murli Deora, Kapil Sibal, Ambika Soni and Sushil Kumar Shinde.

Failure of negotiations with southern ally, DMK, over the number of slots and portfolios resulted in only 19 ministers taking oath from the President. Another group of ministers, probably a larger one, is expected to be sworn-in on Tuesday next.

The portfolios of the ministers would be announced in the next two or three days, according to the Prime Minister who voiced the hope that DMK would accept the offer made to it by the UPA.