A new look Ministry was unveiled on Thursday by Advani when he introduced the two new Ministers of State, I D Swamy and Vidyasagar Rao, to the senior bureaucrats. North Block, it was apparent, had got back into life once again. The place was more or less deserted during the election times, but this afternoon it's corridors were brimming with excitement as bureaucrats, politicians and visitors shuffled around to brush shoulders with the new VIPs.

But for Advani, it was work as usual. His day started with separate meetings with Assam Governor S K Sinha, former Bihar governor B M Lal and representatives from FICCI. That was before the two aggrieved Shiv Sena leaders, Suresh Prabhu and Manohar Joshi, held a 30-minute, closed-door confabulation withhim and he, in turn, drove down to Prime Minister Vajpayee's place to discuss the worsening Maharashtra scenario.

Vidyasagar Rao and Swamy, on the other hand, could afford to be more relaxed as their work allocation was yet to be announced formally. It is, however, clear by now that the Home Minister has no intention of loosening his hold on internal security and Jammu and Kashmir affairs, the matters closest to his heart. He himself declared that internal security would remain his ``main agenda'' and there would be no letting up of the pro-active policies against Pakistani militants that was initiated by his Ministry one and a half years ago. As he elaborated, ``The mandate to Vajpayee's Government is clear; the 50-year-old ``swaraj'' (Independence ) needs to be translated to ``suraj'' (good governance).

Law and order might be a state subject but for the past 15-20 years, internal security of the country has been under strain due to proxy war unleashed by a neighbouring country."

He further went onto add, "That's why the role of the Ministry has become important and we will continue with our policies regarding internal security. There will be no let up.''

Sources close to Advani stressed that his work load would be eased considerably with the coming of the two Ministers of State. Between themselves, Rao and Swamy are expected to share departments relating to freedom fighters, official languages, foreigners divisions, North-East and Ayodhya cells, Central-state affairs, Registrars General of India and that relating to preparing replies for unstarred questions in the Lok Sabha.

Giant killer Swamy -- he defeated Bhajan Lal in Karnal -- said it was a ``great and grand opportunity to work under Advani''.