New Delhi: Nearly 30 hours after the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government was sworn in, the announcement of portfolios was made tonight (May 23, 2004).

Contrary to expectations, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh chose not to retain the Finance Ministry and instead brought back Congress leader P Chidambaram.

Congress leaders also cornered the other plum portfolios - Pranab Mukherjee will be the Defence Minister, Shivraj Patil will look after Home and K Natwar Singh will take charge of External Affairs.

Others in the list:

Cabinet Ministers

Arjun Singh (Congress): Human Resource Development

Sharad Pawar (Nationalist Congress Party): Agriculture, Food & Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution

Laloo Prasad (Rashtriya Janata Dal): Railways

Ram Vilas Paswan (Lok Janshakti Party): Chemicals and Fertilisers. He will also take charge of Steel.

Ghulam Nabi Azad (Congress): Parliamentary Affairs and Urban Development

S Jaipal Reddy (Congress): Information and Broadcasting. He will also look after Culture.

Sisram Ola (Congress): Labour and Employment

Mahavir Prasad (Congress): Small Scale, Agro and Rural Industries

P R Kyndiah (Congress): Tribal Affairs and Development of the Northeast

T R Baalu (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam): Road Transport and Highways

Shankarsinh Vaghela (Congress): Textiles

Kamal Nath (Congress): Commerce and Industry

H R Bhardwaj (Congress): Law and Justice

P M Sayeed (Congress): Power

Raghuvansh Prasad Singh (RJD): Rural Development

Priyaranjan Dasmunshi (Congress): Water Resources

Mani Shankar Aiyar (Congress): Petroleum & Natural Gas. He will also take charge of Panchayati Raj.

Sunil Dutt (Congress): Youth Affairs and Sports

Shibu Soren (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha): Coal, Mines and Minerals

A Raja (DMK): Environment and Forest

Dayanidhi Maran (DMK): Communication and IT

Meira Kumar (Congress): Social Justice and Empowerment

K Chandrasekhar Rao (Telangana Rashtra Samithi): Shipping

Anbumani Ramdoss (Pattali Makkal Katchi): Health and Family Welfare