PM, 19 cabinet ministers take oath

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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Friday took oath along with 19 cabinet colleagues to begin his second five-year term at the head of a multi-party government in which his Congress party is the overwhelmingly dominant partner after a sweeping win in general elections.

There were four new faces in the first edition of the union cabinet that is expected to be followed up by another expansion of the council of ministers in the next few days. All the others were in the outgoing cabinet. All but two were from the Congress party.

Overseen by President Pratibha Patil, Manmohan Singh, 76, was the first to take oath at a simple and brief function at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. This is the first time she has administered the oath of office.

Text: IANS

Image: President Pratibha Patil administers the oath of office and secrecy to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during the ceremony for the swearing-in of the new cabinet at Ashok Hall of Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi on Friday. (Copyright PTI. Unauthorised reproduction is prohibited.)

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