Chidambaram back in finance

Shivraj Patil gets home; Defence for Pranab; Parliament session from June 2.

P Chidambaram became finance minister after a gap of seven years, bringing back the sure promise of continuing reform and liberalisation.

At the end of a day of political wrangling, the list of Cabinet portfolios yielded many surprises.

Pranab Mukherjee was given the defence portfolio, Sharad Pawar became minister for agriculture, food, consumer affairs, civil supplies and public distribution.

Laloo Prasad Yadav dug in and was finally given railways, Shivraj Patil was made home minister despite losing the Lok Sabha elections, Ghulam Nabi Azad was given parliamentary affairs and urban development and K Natwar Singh was appointed the external affairs minister.

Arjun Singh went back to human resource development his old ministry held when PV Narasimha Rao was prime minister.

Telecom and IT went to the DMK's Dayanidhi Maran while S Jaipal Reddy got back the portfolio he had held in the United Front government, information and broadcasting. He will also hold charge of culture.

Sis Ram Ola was given the labour and employment ministry to handle. Praful Patel was given civil aviation.

The law and justice ministry went to HR Bhardwaj, the crucial petroleum and natural gas ministry will have Mani Shankar Aiyar heading it along with the panchayati raj ministry.

TR Baalu was allotted road transport and highways and given charge of the northeastern states. Another DMK leader, A Raja, was given charge of the environment and forest department.

The PMK's Anbumani Ramadoss was given the health and family welfare portfolio while JMM chief Shibu Soren was given charge of coal and mines.

Chemicals, fertilisers and steel went to Ram Vilas Paswan who caused many of the problems and delayed the announcement of portfolios.

Mahavir Prasad got small scale, agro and rural industries. Another minister who lost the elections, PM Sayeed got the plum portfolio of power. C Chandrashekhar Rao is given shipping.

The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government will face its first trial of strength on June 10, when the motion of thanks to President APJ Abdul Kalam for his joint address to Parliament will be put to vote.

The decision to convene the first session of the 14th Lok Sabha on June 2 was taken by the first meeting of the Cabinet presided by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Briefing newspersons after the 45-minute Cabinet meeting held at Prime Minister's South Block office, an official spokesperson said the Lok Sabha session would commence with oath taking and affirmation by new members on June 2 and 3. On June 4, the election of the Speaker will be held.

The president will address the joint session of both Houses on June 7 in the Central Hall of Parliament. The two Houses will take up discussion on the motion of thanks to the President for his address on June 8-10, before it is put to vote.

Click here for a full list of the Council of Ministers