VZCZCXRO4875
OO RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHLH RUEHNEH RUEHPW
DE RUEHNE #1083/01 1481423
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 281423Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6752
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 7715
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 3455
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 6452
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1770
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1368
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEIDN/DNI WASHINGTON DC
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 8096
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 8355
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 001083 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR OPS, P (WEST), SCA (BLAKE) 
NSC FOR CAMP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR KDEM EAGR IN
SUBJECT: GOI FILLS OUT CABINET, MANY PORTFOLIOS STILL ON 
HOLD 
 
REF: A. NEW DELHI 1072 
     ¶B. NEW DELHI 1062 
     ¶C. NEW DELHI 1056 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: The Indian Government announced 59 
additional Ministers on May 28, bringing the total number to 
¶78.  However, no portfolios have been made public aside from 
the six top spots previously announced (Ref B).  All told 
there are 33 Cabinet Ministers; ranking slightly below that, 
seven Ministers of State with Independent Charge; and below 
that, 38 Ministers of State.  Apart from the new Foreign 
Minister, S.M. Krishna, there are no surprises.  Congress 
Party leadership selected (or negotiated) carefully to ensure 
that all caste/community, religious, gender and regional 
concerns were addressed.  However, a few interesting wrinkles 
arise.  "Young" members of parliament did not receive an 
abundance of ministerial posts.  The average age of the 
Cabinet Ministers is 62, while the average age of the 
remaining Ministers is 53.  Regionally, Maharashtra and West 
Bengal, two states that will hold state assembly elections 
relatively soon, received nine and eight ministers 
respectively. Uttar Pradesh received only five lower-level 
minister posts despite its unexpectedly strong performance 
for the Congress Party in the elections.  There are five 
Muslims total among the 78, two of whom are Cabinet rank, 
both from Jammu and Kashmir.  Overall it is a relatively 
solid, status quo government.  We expect portfolios will be 
announced in the coming day or two.  End Summary. 
 
Ministers, Without Portfolios 
----------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) At a swearing in ceremony on May 28, the Indian 
government officially expanded its Cabinet adding 59 
Ministers.  The first tranche of 19 Ministers were sworn in 
on May 22 (Ref C) for a total of 78 Ministers.  However, of 
the 78, only six have officially been assigned portfolios 
(Ref B).  According to Embassy contacts, some of the 72 
unassigned Ministers have been told by Congress Party 
leadership what their posts will be.  However, at the 
swearing in ceremony today, no portfolios were officially 
announced.  Likely, Congress Party leaders are still 
wrangling with their allies over the last few spots. 
 
Youth - But not in the Cabinet 
------------------------------ 
 
¶3. (U) While there are several "youth" names in the lower 
level Minister of State posts, there are none among the top 
33 Cabinet positions.  Relatively well-known youngsters Jitin 
Prasad, 35, and Joytiraditya Scindia, 38, both return as 
Ministers of State.  Media darling Rajasthan MP, Sachin 
Pilot, 31, will be a Minister for the first time.  The 
youngest Minister is Agatha Sangma, 28, from Meghalaya.  She 
is a member of the Nationalist Congress Party and daughter of 
former Lok Sabha Speaker P.A. Sangma.  The most notable 
"youth" name not among the 78 is Rahul Gandhi, whose thoughts 
on the new government and his role in the Congress Party have 
been reported septel (Ref A). 
 
Regional Considerations 
----------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) Maharashtra received nine Ministerial slots, including 
one for the disgraced former Chief Minister, Vilasrao 
Deshmunk.  He was forced to resign in the aftermath of the 
Mumbai attacks.  It is not merely Maharashtra's size - it 
occupies 48 seats in parliament - that accounts for its heavy 
representation in the Council of Ministers.  The Congress 
Party leadership no doubt has an eye on the coming assembly 
elections in the state this September.  Party leaders hope 
the increase in attention from the central government and the 
 
NEW DELHI 00001083  002 OF 002 
 
 
enhanced visibility of these individuals bodes well for the 
party during the state assembly polls. 
 
¶5. (U) West Bengal, which received eight Ministerial posts, 
will hold state assembly elections in early 2011.  Seven of 
the eight Ministers from West Bengal come from the new 
Congress Party ally, Trinamool Congress.  After crushing the 
communists in West Bengal by winning 19 seats - up from only 
one in the 2004 election - Trinamool Congress leader Mamata 
Banerjee secured the prized Cabinet-rank Railways Ministry 
for herself and six Minister of State positions for her party. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Despite the Congress Party's surprise showing of 21 
seats in Uttar Pradesh, the state did not receive any Cabinet 
posts.  Two Minister of State with Independent Charge (a 
mid-ranking ministerial post) and three Minister of State (a 
lower-ranking ministerial post) slots were allocated to Uttar 
Pradesh members.  Media noted that this is relatively little 
for a state that sends the most members to the Lok Sabha, 80, 
and was a key battleground success for the Congress Party. 
Some analysts point out that "ignoring" this state is not a 
good strategy if Rahul Gandhi is to succeed in his effort to 
revive the party in the state to its glory days.  Others 
point out that two MPs from Uttar Pradesh, Sonia Gandhi and 
Rahul Gandhi, hold more actual power than nearly all of the 
33 Cabinet Ministers combined. 
 
Solid, Status Quo Government 
---------------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Comment: Overall, the new Indian government 
represents experience with a pinch of youth, but still 
heavily tipped towards older politicians.  Congress Party 
President Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmoham Singh have 
generally been able to choose the Ministers they want, 
without the kind of harassment they faced from the myriad 
allies in the previous government.  We expect portfolios to 
be announced shortly, even as early as this evening.  End 
Comment. 
BURLEIGH