Sonia: Rahul refused ministerial berth

Congress President Sonia Gandhi says she had wanted her son Rahul Gandhi to be given a ministerial berth also but he prefered to work for the party.

As two young Congress faces were inducted in the Union Council of Ministers, party President Sonia Gandhi on Sunday said she had wanted her son Rahul Gandhi to be given a ministerial berth also but he prefered to work for the party.

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Talking to reporters at Rashtrapati Bhawan after swearing-in of seven new ministers, Gandhi said she would have liked more young MPs in the Council of Ministers but it was not possible because of coalition compulsion.

"I wanted Rahul to be in the government but he declined. He said he has the responsibility of youth Congress and would not be able to do justice to both the positions if he was given a ministerial berth," Gandhi said.

She said since Rahul was not inclined to join the government, she could not do much as she wanted to respect his position.

Asked why only two young MPs -- Jyotiraditya Scindia and Jitin Prasada -- were inducted into the Council of Ministers this time, the Congress President cited coalition compulsion as a reason for it.

"In a coalition, there is not much scope," she remarked, suggesting that sensitivities of partners have to be kept in mind in such an exercise.