By IANS,
New Delhi : Ghulam Nabi Azad and Farooq Abdullah – the two cabinets members from Jammu and Kashmir in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s council of ministers – were Thursday named new ministers of health and and renewable energy, respectively.
Azad, who forms a part of the Congress’ think tank and played a crucial role in ministerial berth sharing talks with the DMK, will be the minister of health and family welfare. The portfolio was earlier held by A. Ramadoss of the PMK.
The former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir started his political career as a block president of the Congress of Bhalesa in mountainous Doda district of Jammu from 1973 to 1975 and rose to become president of All India Youth Congress in 1980. In the same year, he got elected to the 7th Lok sabha from Washim in Maharashtra.
He was the parliamentary affairs minister in the previous Manmohan Singh government until Oct 27, 2005 when he was appointed as the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir. He has also looked after the civil aviation ministry earlier.
Farooq Abdullah, a new entrant to the union cabinet, has been named as minister of new and renewable energy. The National Conference president has also served as chief minister of the state thrice – 1982 – 1984, 1986 – 1990 and 1996 – 2002.