Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Shibu Soren was on Saturday re-inducted into the Union Cabinet and given back the coal ministry as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh effected a minor expansion and reshuffle of his Council of Ministers.
The 62-year-old tribal leader from Jharkhand, who quit in July after a non-bailable arrest warrant was issued against him in the Chirudih murder case 20 years ago, was the only one to be inducted, taking the strength of the Council of Ministers to 67.
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President A P J Abdul Kalam administered him the oath of office and secrecy at a function in Rashtrapati Bhawan.
The PM also allocated Telangana Rashtra Samiti chief K Chandrasekhar Rao the labour and employment portfolio.
Congress nominee Sisram Ola, who held the labour and employment portfolio earlier, was given the mines ministry.
Shortly after the ceremony, the PM said the issue over which Soren had to quit no longer existed and expressed the hope that the winter session of Parliament, beginning December 1, would be smooth.
Soren's re-induction comes a few months ahead of the assembly election in Jharkhand, where the Congress-JMM combine is keen on ousting the Bharatiya Janata Party government. The tribal leader is a strong contender for the chief ministership.
The allotment of a portfolio for Rao comes following pressure from him on the issue of statehood for Telangana.
The government on Friday announced that a subcommittee would be formed to go into the issue.
