Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday re-inducted Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Shibu Sore into the cabinet, asserting that the circumstances that led to his quitting in July no longer existed.
President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam administered the oaths of office and secrecy to Soren at a simple ceremony in the ornate Ashoka Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan, the presidential palace.
The proceedings lasted less than three minutes. There were only a handful of ministers and invitees at the ceremony, and media personnel and officials were asked to move up from behind to fill the seats in front.
Soren had quit as coal minister following an arrest warrant against him for his alleged involvement in a mass-murder case 10 years ago.
Asked by journalists if by re-inducting Soren he was not giving a handle to the opposition to stall the parliament session starting Dec 1, Manmohan Singh said: "The basis on which he left does not exist."
The opposition had stalled the budget session of parliament for days over Shibu Soren and other issues.
"I hope it will be a smooth session. I expect cooperation from the opposition," the prime minister said. "We are ready to cooperate on any issue they raise."
After a court in Jharkhand released him on bail, Soren had been demanding his portfolio back.
Official sources said Soren would return to his coal ministry although a formal announcement would come only later Saturday.
Saturday's development will also result in Telangana Rashtriya Samiti (TRS) leader K. Chandrashekhar Rao, who has been a cabinet minister without portfolio since Manmohan Singh took power in May, getting the labour portfolio.
Rao could replace incumbent Sis Ram Ola, who is expected to get the mines portfolio.
Rao has been making threatening noises with his demand for a separate state of Telangana by breaking up Andhra Pradesh.
A major cabinet reshuffle is expected after parliament's winter session gets over in December.
The return of Soren to the Congress-led central government assumes significance as his home state Jharkhand prepares for assembly elections early next year.
The Congress party is expected to fight the elections in alliance with JMM to take on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
--Indo-Asian News Service