 | « Back to article | Print this article |
The reshuffle in portfolios carried out by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has apparently left some ministers unhappy, as some of them made their discontent clear through cynical remarks on Thursday.
"I have forgotten that time (as a sports minister)...God has screwed my head in such a way that I can't look back and look forward."
This is how M S Gill, who has been shunted out from the sports ministry to statistics and programme implementation, reacted when asked how he looked back at his previous tenure.
Asked whether he was happy at the new portfolio being given to him, the former chief election commissioner remarked, "I don't look at any moves to study how and why or what has been done. I am not interested in all that."
Gill, who was shifted out of the sports ministry against the backdrop of an attack on him over the mess in Commonwealth Games preparations, said, "It's a new day for me and I am looking forward to that."
He has been replaced by Ajay Maken, former minister of state for home affairs, who was elevated as MoS with Independent charge. While Gill was unable to hide his unhappiness, some others believed to be sulking, like Kamal Nath, were more diplomatic.
"I am not looking at it this way. I take it as a challenge, dealing with an area where huge work needs to be done," Nath said when asked whether he was feeling promoted or demoted by his movement from the high profile road transport and highways ministry to the urban development ministry.