Click to play videoNew Delhi: Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Ajit Singh will be sworn in as the new Civil Aviation Minister.
This comes a day after Singh met UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to seal his party's tie-up with the Congress for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections.
Later, the Congress had confirmed that Ajit Singh’s would join UPA as an ally.
"Sonia Gandhi has accepted in principle to make RLD a constituent of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA)," Congress general secretary Janardhan Dwivedi had told reporters after the meeting.
Sources said that the swearing-in of the 72-year-old Jat leader from western Uttar Pradesh could take place as early as December 15 morning before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh embarks on an official visit to Russia. Another date being mentioned is December 18 after the Prime Minister returns from Moscow.
Ajit Singh, whose RLD has five members in the Lok Sabha, had a meeting with the Prime Minister earlier on Monday. The meeting took place after RLD formally joined the UPA.
The RJD action is likely to give crucial support to the Congress during the elections in Uttar Pradesh.
With RLD joining the ruling coalition, UPA's strength in the Lok Sabha has gone up from 272 to 277. It is the first party which is joining the Congress-led alliance after the 2009 Lok Sabha elections and at a time when it appeared to be battered on several fronts.
(With Additional Inputs from PTI)
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