INDIA’S embattled ruling Congress party geared up on Monday (June 17) for next year’s elections with a cabinet revamp, boosted by a bitter split in the opposition over the elevation of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
Four veteran Congress politicians were sworn into the cabinet, as the party readied for a tough battle to try to win a third term in office amid a slew of graft scandals, policy malaise and the slowest economic growth in a decade.
Four other party loyalists were given junior posts in the three-tier ministerial council headed by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.
Government officials said portfolios of the eight new ministers would be announced later.
A previous railways minister resigned over accusations his nephew took a $160,000 (£102,048.66) bribe from an official in return for a plum post in the state-run network.
His successor also handed in his papers along with the sports minister ahead of Monday’s cabinet reshuffle.
Prime Minister Dr Singh said his Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government was confident of a hat trick in the 2014 polls.
“We will have a third go as UPA and the people will again repose their faith in us,” the premier said.
Dr Singh also hoped Rahul Gandhi, scion of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, would lead the UPA coalition administration.
“I will be very happy to see him step into my shoes. I hope he will lead the UPA alliance,” he added.
Congress has been bolstered by turmoil within the opposition coalition after the pullout of a key partner over the elevation of Narendra Modi to head its campaign for the elections due by next May.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused its partner, the Janata Dal (United) party, of betrayal over the pullout after a 17-year alliance as the bitterness of the turmoil played out Monday in the Indian media.
