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Union Home Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani was on Saturday night appointed deputy prime minister.
Reacting to this announcement, Advani told rediff.com, "It is a matter of honour for me and I wish to thank the prime minister and all our partners in the NDA. I pray to god that I will be able to live up to this faith."
But Advani insisted that there would be no change in his job profile. "The prime minister used to consult me even earlier," he said, adding, "now it has just been formalised. But yes, in the eyes of my ministerial colleagues and the people, my responsibilities have increased."
When queried if the new appointment is making him feel burdened, Advani said the appointment has increased his responsibility, not in terms of work, but in terms of 'trust reposed and the accountability it generates'.
When asked how the whole process of his appointment took place, Advani said that the prime minister started the process a month back and asked the NDA convenor and Defence Minister George Fernandes to find out the opinion of the allies.
"Only after George Fernandes gave his feedback did Vajpayeeji write to the President," he said.
Advani, who will continue to retain his home portfolio, said there would be no change in his job profile as such.
When asked how he was feeling, Advani said, "In a way this decision is trust reposed in me by the leader, party and the NDA allies."
Bharatiya Janata Party spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra told rediff.com that Advani's elevation was 'a welcome move'.
He said that Advani's promotion 'came a little late, but the party was happy'.
Meanwhile, the RSS leadership has also expressed happiness at Advani's elevation.
Advani would be India's seventh deputy prime minister
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee also initiated the process of revamp of his Cabinet and the BJP, in which External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh and Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha are expected to swap positions and Rural Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu tipped to head the party.
This emerged after two rounds of consultations the prime minister had with his senior colleagues.
Two young ministers, Arun Jaitely (Law) and Ananth Kumar (Urban Development), are being drafted for party work and will be part of the new team to be headed by Naidu.
One portfolio for Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee appears to be still an unresolved issue with Banerjee insisting on Railways, held by her earlier, a demand that is posing problems for Vajpayee.
The prime minister spoke to Banerjee in a bid to persuade her to accept a portfolio other than Railways currently held by Samata Party leader Nitish Kumar. She is reaching Delhi on Sunday morning for a meeting with Vajpayee ahead of his next round of consultations when he gives final touches to the revamp exercise both in the government and the Party.
NDA convenor George Fernandes is already in touch with Banerjee. Sources said Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah is unlikely to be offered any position in the Union Cabinet for now.
Among the new entrants being considered are film star-turned politician Shatrughan Sinha, former Gujarat chief minister Keshubhai Patel and one of the Delhi MPs V K Malhotra or Sahib Singh Verma.
From the NDA allies, two representatives of PMK are likely to be inducted in the government. Another likely name is Vaiko of MDMK whose two nominees already in the government may make an exit.
Reports that Food Minister Shanta Kumar and Social Justice Minister Satyanarain Jatiya are being dropped have been discounted.
In the simultaneous shake up in the party, BJP president Jana Krishnamurthy, who had been resisting a change, on Saturday agreed to join the government. He is expected to take Naidu's place in the Cabinet.
With the appointment of Advani as deputy prime minister, Vajpayee has revived the practice after a gap of 12 years.
Devi Lal, who was deputy prime minister in V P Singh's Cabinet and was later sacked by him, was again appointed to the post when Chandrasekhar succeeded him in 1990.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was the first deputy prime minister under Jawaharlal Nehru and later Morarji Desai was a deputy to Indira Gandhi.
Morarji Desai himself had Charan Singh and Jagjivan Ram as deputy prime ministers between 1977 and 1980.
Sheela Bhatt and Onkar Singh in New Delhi with inputs from agencies
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