Sunday, March 5 2006 13:45 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Export Corporation Chairman Merajuddin Ahmed, a Rashtriya Lok Dal nominee, was today (Mar 05 2005) inducted as Cabinet Minister in the Mulayam Singh Yadav government.

He filled the berth from the RLD quota whose representative Irrigation Minister Munna Singh Chauhan quit yesterday.

Ahmed was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor T V Rajeswar at a simple ceremony at Raj Bhavan here.

Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, his cabinet colleagues, Assembly Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey and senior government officials attended the swearing-in. Incidentally, no RLD Minister was present.

RLD sources said Chuahan had been made party's General Secretary, adding he would also be in-charge of party's Uttar Pradesh unit.

The sources said Chauhan's resignation was the result of his differences with former Irrigation Minister Anuradha Chaudhary, considered close to RLD president Ajit Singh.

Talking to sources, Ahmed denied that Chauhan was replaced owing to pressure exerted by engineers of the Irrigation department.

He said there was nothing unusual in his appointment as "we all are party workers and can be entrusted with any responsibility."