Oscar: Sonia’s trusted aide makes comeback to govt

 

New Delhi, 17 June 2013, (PTI): Known as a man for all seasons, veteran Congress leader Oscar Fernandes has handled tricky negotiations with north-east rebels, government and party matters, and fluid movements of Kuchipudi dance form with equal ease.

 

Considered a trusted aide of Congress President Sonia Gandhi, 72-year-old Fernandes makes a comeback to the government--this time as Cabinet Minister-- after having handled key responsibilities, including the head of the party’s central election committee.

 

A five-term Lok Sabha MP from Udupi in Karnatka, Fernandes was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the Congress after he lost the 1999 Lok Sabha elections. He is now into his third term in the Upper House.

 

"Brother Oscar", as he is popularly known, had given his own touch to the talks with the NSCN leaders, beginning the meetings with prayers in which all present participate.

 

He was a Union Minister from 2004–2009, holding a number of portfolios like Statistics and Programme Implementation, Overseas Indian Affairs, Youth and Sports Affairs and Labour and Employment.

 

Fernandes was also a close confidant of former Prime Minister late Rajiv Gandhi.

 

Son of a school teacher, Fernandes, who was the KPCC president for two terms, is well-liked among party men and known to burn the midnight oil in which ever job he is entrusted with.

 

Fernandes is also a trained performer of traditional dance forms Kuchipudi and Yakshagana.

 

List of new union council of ministers

 

- Manmohan Singh: Prime minister, Minster of Personnel and Public Grievances and Pension, Minister of Planning, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space.
- A.K. Antony: Defence minister
- Sharad Pawar: Minister of Agriculture and Food Processing Industries
- P. Chidambaram: Finance minister
- Ghulam Nabi Azad: Minister of Health and Family Welfare
- Sushilkumar Shinde: Minister of Home Affairs
- M. Veerappa Moily: Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas
- Farooq Abdullah: Minister of New and Renewable Energy
- S. Jaipal Reddy: Minister of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences
- Kamal Nath: Minister of Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs
- Ajit Singh: Minister of Civil Aviation
- Vayalar Ravi: Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs
- Mallikarjun Kharge: Minister of Railways
- Kapil Sibal: Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Minister of Law and Justice
- Anand Sharma: Minister of Commerce and Industry, Minister of Textiles
- Kumari Selja: Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment
- G.K. Vasan: Minister of Shipping
- Praful Patel: Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises
- Shriprakash Jaiswal: Minister of Coal
- Salman Khurshid: Minister of External Affairs
- V. Kishore Chandra Deo: Minister of Tribal Affairs, Minister of Panchayati Raj
- Beni Prasad Verma: Minister of Steel
- Jairam Ramesh: Minister of Rural Development
- K. Rahman Khan: Minister of Minority Affairs
- Dinsha J. Patel: Minister of Mines
- M. M. Pallam Raju: Minister of Human Resource Development
- Harish Rawat: Minister of Water Resources
- Chandresh Kumari Katoch: Minister of Culture
- Sisram Ola: Minister for Labour and Employment
- Oscar Fernandes: Minister of Road Transport and Highways
- Girija Vyas: Minister of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation
- K.S. Rao: Textiles Minister.

 

Ministers of State:

 

- Krishna Tirath: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Women and Child Development
- K.V. Thomas: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
- Srikant Jena: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation and Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers
- Jayanthi Natrajan: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Environment and Forests
- Paban Singh Ghatowar: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region and Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs
- Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Power
- K.H. Muniappa: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
- Bharatsinh Solanki: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation
- Sachin Pilot: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs
- Jitendra Singh: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence
- Manish Tewari: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
- K. Chiranjeevi: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Tourism
- Manikrao Gavit: Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment
- Santosh Chowdhary: Minister of State of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
- E.M.S. Natchiappan: Minister of State of the Ministry for Commerce and Industry
- J.D. Seelam: Minister of State of the Ministry of Finance.